Online support and older adults: A theoretical examination of benefits and limitations of computer-mediated support networks for older adults and possible health outcomes

Handbook of Communication and Aging Research

Volumn , Issue , 2004, Pages 499-519

  Wright, Kevin B ^a   Query, James L ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS   (United States)

^b UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 33845979594     PISSN: None     EISSN: None     Source Type: Book    
DOI: None     Document Type: Chapter

References (99)

1. Adelman, M. B., & Frey, L. R. (1997). The fragile community: Living together with AIDS. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
2. Adelman, M. B., Parks, M. R., & Albrecht, T. L. (1987). Beyond close relationships: Support in weak ties. In T. L. Albrecht & M. B. Adelman (Eds.), Communicating social support (pp. 126-147). Newbury Park, CA:Sage.
3. Adler, J. (1996). Older adults and computer use [Online]. Available: http://www.seniornet.org/research/ survey2.html
4. Albrecht, T. L., & Adelman, M. B. (1987). Communicating social support: A theoretical perspective. In T. L. Albrecht & M. B. Adelman (Eds.), Communicating social support (pp. 18-39). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
5. Alexy, E. M. (2000). Computers and caregiving: Reaching out and redesigning interventions for homebound older adults and caregivers. Holistic Nursing Practice, 14, 60-66.
6. Antonucci, T. C. (1990). Social supports and social relationships. In R. H. Binstock & L. K. George (Eds.), Handbook of aging and the social sciences (pp. 205-226). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
7. Arling, G. (1976). The elderly widow and her family, neighbors, and friends. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 38, 757-768.
8. Arneson, P. A., & Query, J. L. (2001). The case study: Revitalizing a nonprofit health organization. In S. L. Herndon & G. L. Kreps (Eds.), Qualitative research: Applications in organizational life (2nd ed., pp. 151-169). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton.
9. Barnlund, D. (1968). Introduction: Therapeutic communication. In D. Barnlund (Ed.), Interpersonal communication:Survey and studies (pp. 612-645). Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
10. Beckman, L. J. (1981). Effects of social interaction and children's relative inputs on older women's psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 41, 1075-1086.
11. Bowers, J. W. (1969). Implications of the New Orleans conference recommendations from the perspective of behavioral scholarship. In R. J. Kibler & L. J. Barker (Eds.), Conceptual frontiers in speech communication (pp. 184-189). New York: Speech Association of America.
12. Braithwaite, D. O., Waldron, V. R., & Finn, J. (1999). Communication of social support in computer-mediated groups for people with disabilities. Health Communication, 11, 123-151.
13. Burleson, B. R. (1998). Similarities in social skills, interpersonal attraction, and the development of personal relationships. In J. S. Trent (Ed.), Communication: Views from the helm of the twenty-first century (pp. 77-84). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
14. Burleson, B. R. (1990). Comforting as social support: Relational consequences of supportive behaviors. In S. Duck & R. C. Silver (Eds.), Personal relationships and social support (pp. 66-82). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
15. Burleson, B. R., Samter, W., & Lucchetti, A. E. (1992). Similarity in communication values as a predictor of friendship choices: Studies of friends and best friends. Southern Communication Journal, 57, 260-276.
16. Byrne, D. (1971). The attraction paradigm. New York: Academic Press.
17. Campbell, K., & Wright, K. B. (2002). On-line support groups: An investigation of relationships among source credibility, dimensions of relational communication, and perceptions of emotional support. Communication Research Reports, 19, 183-193.
18. Charles Schwab, Inc. (1998). Research on seniors' computer and Internet usage:Areport of a national survey [Online].Available: http://www.seniornet.org/php/default.php?PageID=5474&Version=0&Font=0
19. Cline, R. J. (1999). Communication within social support groups. In L. R. Frey, D. S. Gouran, & M. S. Poole (Eds.), Handbook of group communication theory and research (pp. 516-538). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
20. Cluck, G. G., & Cline, R. J. (1989). The circle of others: Self-help groups for the bereaved. Communication Quarterly, 34, 306-325.
21. Cohen, S. (1988). Psychosocial models of the role of support in the etiology of physical disease. Health Psychology, 7, 269-297.
22. Cohen, S., Gottlieb, B. H., & Underwood, L. G. (2000). Social relationships and health. In S. Cohen, L. G. Underwood & B. H. Gottlieb (Eds.), Social support measurement and intervention: A guide for health and social scientists (pp. 3-25). New York: Oxford University Press.
23. Cutrona, C. E., & Cole, V. (2000). Optimizing support in the natural network. In S. Cohen, L. G. Underwood, & B. H. Gottlieb (Eds.), Social support measurement and intervention: A guide for health and social scientists (pp. 278-308). New York: Oxford University Press.
24. Duck, S. (1973). Interpersonal communication in developing acquaintance. In G. R. Miller (Ed.), Explorations in interpersonal communication (pp. 127-148). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
25. Federal Interagency Forum on Aging Related Statistics. (2000). Older Americans 2000: Key indicators of well-being [Online]. Available: http://www.agingstats.gov/chartbook2000/population.html
26. Finn, J. (1999). An exploration of helping processes in an on-line self-help group focusing on issues of disability. Health and SocialWork, 24, 220-240.
27. Fisher, W. R. (1984). Narration as a human communication paradigm: The case of public moral argument. Communication Monographs, 51, 1-22.
28. Fisher, W. R. (1985). The narrative paradigm: An elaboration. Communication Monographs, 52, 347-367.
29. Fisher, W. R. (1987). Human communication as narration: Toward a philosophy of reason, value and action. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.
30. Flaherty, L. M., Pearce, K. J., & Rubin, R. R. (1998). Internet and face-to-face communication: Not functional alternatives. Communication Quarterly, 46, 250-268.
31. Fox, S., Rainie, L., Larsen, E., Horrigan, J., Lenhart, A., Spooner, T., & Carter, C. (2001). The Pew Internet and American life project [Online]. Available: http://www.perinternet.org/
32. Furlong, M. S. (1989). An electronic community for older adults: The SeniorNet network. Journal of Communication, 39, 145-153.
33. Good, B. S. (1977). The heart of what's the matter: The semantics of illness in Iran. Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 1, 25-29.
34. Good, B. S., & Good, M. D. (1981). The meaning of symptoms: A cultural hermeneutic model for clinical practice. In L. Eisenberg & A. Kleinman (Eds.), The relevance of social science for medicine (pp. 165-196). Dordrecht, the Netherlands: Reidel.
35. Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360-1380.
36. Granovetter, M. S. (1982). The strength of weak ties: A network theory revisited. In P. V. Marsden, & N. Lin (Eds.), Social structure and network analysis (pp. 105-130). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
37. Harwood, J., Giles, H., & Ryan, E. B. (1995). Aging, communication, and intergroup theory: Social identity and intergenerational communication. In J. F. Nussbaum & J. Coupland (Eds.), Handbook of communication and aging research (pp. 133-159). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
38. Hegelson, V. S., & Cohen, S. (1996). Social support and adjustment to cancer: Reconciling descriptive, correlational, and interventional research. Health Psychology, 15, 135-148.
39. Hiltz, S. R., & Turoff, M. (1993). The network nation (2nd ed.). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
40. Ickes, W. (Ed.). (1997). Empathic accuracy. New York: Guilford.
41. Kahn, R. L., & Antonucci, T. C. (1980). Convoys over the life course: Attachment, roles, and social support. In P. B. Baltes & O. Brim (Eds.), Life-span development and behavior (Vol. 3, pp. 253-286). New York: Academic Press.
42. Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Dyer, C. S., & Shuttleworth, E. C. (1988). Upsetting social interactions and distress among Alzheimer's disease family care-givers. American Journal of Community Psychology, 16, 825-837.
43. King, S. A., & Moreggi, D. (1998). Internet therapy and self-help groups-the pros and cons. In J. Gackenbach (Ed.), Psychology and the Internet: Intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal implications (pp. 77-109). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
44. Krause, N. (1990). Stress, support, and well-being in later life: Focusing on salient social roles. In M. A.Stephens, J. H. Crowther, S. E. Hobfoll, & D. L. Tennenbaum (Eds.), Stress and coping in later-life families (pp. 71-97). New York: Hemisphere.
45. Kreps, G. L. (1988a). The pervasive role of information in health and health care: Implications for health communication policy. In J. A. Anderson (Ed.), Communication Yearbook 11 (pp. 238-276). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
46. Kreps, G. L. (1988b). Relational communication in health care. Southern Speech Communication Journal, 53, 344-359.
47. La Gaipa, J. J. (1990). Interactive coping: The negative effects of informal support systems. In S. Duck & R. Silver (Eds.), Personal relationships and social support (pp. 122-139). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
48. Lea, M., & Spears, R. (1995). Love at first byte? Building personal relationships over computer networks. In J. T. Wood & S. Duck (Eds.), Understudies relationships: Off the beaten track (pp. 197-233). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
49. Levenson, R. W., & Ruef, A. M. (1992). Empathy: A physiological substrate. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 63, 234-246.
50. Matheson, K., & Zanna, M. P. (1988). The impact of computer-mediated communication on self-awareness. Computers in Human Behavior, 4, 221-233.
51. Mechanic, D. (Ed.). (1983). Handbook of health, health care, and the health professions. New York: Free Press.
52. Mickelson, K. D. (1997). Seeking social support: Parents in electronic support groups. In S. Kiesler (Ed.), Culture of the Internet (pp. 157-178). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
53. Miller, J. K., & Gergen, K. J. (1998). Life on the line: The therapeutic potentials of computer-mediated conversation. Journal of Marital&Family Therapy, 24, 189-202.
54. National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2000). Falling through the Net: Toward digital inclusion [Online]. Washington, DC: United States Commerce Department. Available: http:// www.search.ntia.doc.gov./pdf/fttn00.pdf
55. Newcomb, T. M. (1961). The acquaintance process. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
56. Nussbaum, J. F. (1985). Successful aging: A communicative model. Communication Quarterly, 33, 262-269.
57. Nussbaum, J. F. (1994). Friendship in older adulthood. In M. L. Hummert, J. M. Wiemann, & J. F. Nussbaum (Eds.), Interpersonal communication in older adulthood (pp. 209-225). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
58. Nussbaum, J. F., Thompson, T., Robinson, J. D., & Pecchioni, L. L. (2000). Communication and aging. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
59. Pierce, G. R., Sarason, I. G., & Sarason, B. R. (1996). Coping and social support. In M. Zeidner & N. S. Endler (Eds.), Handbook of coping (pp. 434-451). New York: Wiley.
60. Preece, J. (1998). Empathetic communities: Reaching out across the Web. Interactions, 2, 32-43.
61. Preece, J. (1999). Empathetic communities: Balancing emotional and factual communication. Interacting with Computers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, 12, 63-77.
62. Preece, J. J., & Ghozati, K. (2001). Experiencing empathy on-line. In R. E. Rice & J. E. Katz (Eds.), The Internet and health communication: Experiences and expectations (pp. 237-260). Thousand Oaks, CA:Sage.
63. Query, J. L. (1987, March). A field test of the relationship between interpersonal communication competence, number of social supports, and satisfaction with the social support received by an elderly support group. Unpublished master's thesis, Ohio University.
64. Query, J. L. (1990, June). A field assessment of the relationships among interpersonal communication competence, social support, and depression among caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Ohio University.
65. Query, J. L., & Arneson, P. (1993, November). Implications of the caregiving role during Alzheimer's disease:A narrative analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Speech Communication Association, Miami, FL.
66. Query, J. L., & Flint, L. J. (1996). The caregiving relationship. In N. Vanzetti & S. Duck (Eds.), A lifetime of relationships (pp. 455-483). Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.
67. Query, J. L., & James, A. C. (1989). The relationship between interpersonal competence and social support among elderly support groups in retirement communities. Health Communication, 1, 165-184.
68. Query, J. L., & Kreps, G. L. (1993). Using the critical incident method to evaluate and enhance organizational effectiveness. In S. L. Fish & G. L. Kreps (Eds.), Qualitative research: Applications in organizational communication (pp. 63-77). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton.
69. Query, J. L., & Kreps, G. L. (1996). Testing a health communication model among caregivers for individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Journal of Health Psychology, 1, 335-351.
70. Query, J. L., Kreps, G. L., Arneson, P. A., & Caso, N. S. (2001). Towards helping organizations manage interaction: The theoretical and pragmatic merits of the Critical Incident Technique. In S. L. Herndon & G. L. Kreps (Eds.), Qualitative research: Applications in organizational life (2nd ed., pp. 91-119). Cresskill, NJ:Hampton.
71. Query, J. L., & Wright, K. B. (2003). Communication competence, social support, and health outcomes for older cancer patients. Health Communication, 15, 203-218.
72. Rawlins, W. K. (1995). Friendships in later life. In J. F. Nussbaum & J. Coupland (Eds.), Handbook of communication and aging research (pp. 227-257). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
73. Rice, R. E. (2001). The Internet and Health Communication: A framework of experiences. In R. E. Rice & J. E. Katz (eds.), The Internet and Health Communication (pp. 5-46). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
74. Rice, R. E., & Love, G. (1987). Electronic emotion: Socioemotional content in a computer-mediated communication network. Communication Research, 14(1), 85-108.
75. Rook, K. S. (1995). Support, companionship, and control in older adults' social networks: Implications for well-being. In J. F. Nussbaum & J. Coupland (Eds.), Handbook of communication and aging research (pp. 437-463). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
76. Rook, K. S. (1987). Social support versus companionship: Effects on life stress, loneliness, and evaluations by others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 1132-1147.
77. Schulz, R., & Beach, S. R. (1999). Caregiving as a risk factor for mortality: The caregiver health effects study. Journal of the American Medical Association, 282, 2215-2219.
78. Schwarzer, R., & Leppin, A. (1991). Social support and health: A theoretical and empirical overview. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 8, 99-127.
79. SeniorNet. (2000). SeniorNet survey about the Internet, April 2000 [Online]. Available: http:// www.seniornet. org/php/default.php?PageID=5472&Version= 0&Font=0
80. Smith, J. (1998). "Internet patients" turn to support groups to guide medical decisions. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 90, 1695-1696.
81. Sproull, L., & Kiesler, S. (1986). Reducing social context cues. Electronic mail in organizational communication. Management Science, 32, 1492-1512.
82. Street, R. L., Jr., Gold, W. R., & Manning, T. (1997). Preface. In R. L. Street, Jr., W. R. Gold, & T. Manning (Eds.), Health promotion and interactive technology: Theoretical applications and future directions (pp. xi-xxiv). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
83. Street, R. L., Jr., & Rimal, R. N. (1997). Health promotion and interactive technology: A conceptual foundation. In R. L. Street, Jr., W. R. Gold, & T. Manning (Eds.), Health promotion and interactive technology: Theoretical applications and future directions (pp. 1-18). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
84. Turner, H. A., Hays, R. B., & Coates, T. J. (1993). Determinants of social support among gay men: The context of AIDS. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 34, 37-53.
85. Wallace, P. (1999). The psychology of the internet. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
86. Walther, J. B. (1992). Interpersonal effects in computer-mediated interaction: A relational perspective. Communication Research, 19, 50-88.
87. Walther, J. B. (1996). Computer-mediated communication: Impersonal, interpersonal, and hyperpersonal interaction. Communication Research, 23, 3-43.
88. Walther, J. B., & Burgoon, J. K. (1992). Relational communication in computer-mediated interaction. Human Communication Research, 19, 50-88.
89. Weinberg, N., Schmale, J. D., Uken, J., & Wessel, K. (1995). Computer-mediated support groups. SocialWork With Groups, 17, 43-55.
90. Wellman, B. (1997). An electronic group is virtually a social network. In S. Kiesler (Ed.), Culture of the Internet (pp. 179-205). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
91. Whitten, P., & Gregg, J. L. (2001). Telemedicine: Using telecommunication technologies to deliver health services to older adults. In M. L. Hummert & J. F. Nussbaum (Eds.), Aging, communication, and health:Linking research and practice for successful aging (pp. 3-22). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
92. Winzelberg, A. (1997). The analysis of an electronic support group for individuals with eating disorders. Computers in Human Behavior, 13, 393-407.
93. Wood, J. T. (2000). Relational communication: Continuity and change in personal relationships (2nd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
94. Wood, A. F., & Smith, M. J. (2001). On-line communication: Linking technology, identity, and culture. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
95. Wortman, C., & Dunkel-Schetter, D. (1979). Interpersonal relationships and cancer: A theoretical perspective. Journal of Social Issues, 35, 120-155.
96. Wright, K. B. (1999). Computer-mediated social support, older adults, and coping. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Oklahoma.
97. Wright, K. B. (2000a). The communication of social support within an on-line community for older adults:A qualitative analysis of the SeniorNet community. Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, 1, 33-43.
98. Wright, K. B. (2000b). Computer-mediated social support, older adults, and coping. Journal of Communication, 50, 100-118.
99. Wright, K. B. (2000c). Perceptions of on-line support providers: An examination of perceived homophily, source credibility, communication and social support within on-line support groups. Communication Quarterly, 48, 44-59.