Motivations in virtual health communities and their relationship to community,connectedness and stress |
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Authors: | Jennifer L. Welbourne Anita L. Blanchard Marla B. Wadsworth |
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Affiliation: | 1. Department of Management, University of Texas–Pan American, 1201 West University Drive, Edinburg, TX 78539, United States;2. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina–Charlotte, 9201 University City Boulevard, Charlotte, NC 28223, United States |
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Abstract: | This study explores the relationships between motivations for joining virtual health communities, online behaviors, and psycho-social outcomes. A sample of 144 women from two virtual health communities focusing on infertility completed survey measures assessing motivations, posting and receiving support, connectedness, community, and stress. Our results indicate that socio-emotional support motivations for joining the community were associated with posting support within the virtual community, while informational motivations were related to receiving support. Further, receiving support was associated with greater sense of virtual community as well as more general feelings of connectedness, which was related to less stress. Implications for virtual health community research are discussed. |
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Keywords: | Virtual health communities Motivations Connectedness Stress Sense of virtual community Infertility |
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