The experience of adolescents using online social networks to cope with their cancer: Exploring GroupLoop's discussion board and online support groups

When an adolescent receives the diagnosis of cancer her world changes. This new world can often bring about feelings of anxiety and fear, anger and loss of control, sadness and isolation. Given this information, the objective of this project was to analyze and report out on the experiences of adolescents using a discussion board and online support group to cope with their cancer.; This study assessed the impact of the internet, specifically discussion boards and online support groups such as Group Loop, as a self-help tool for supporting the coping skills of adolescents who are active in their cancer treatment and recovery. The study built upon previous relevant research and addressed limitations wherever possible. The study explored and analyzed the experiences of adolescents with cancer through the venue of the online support network and assessed the clinical importance of online support groups and discussion boards as a channel to provide psychological support to adolescents living with cancer. The results revealed several important themes including: teens with cancer need the support of other teens to cope with their cancer experiences, many teens with cancer benefit greatly from having medical information shared with them from their caregivers, teens with cancer can show compassion and support to each other in an emotionally powerful way, teens with cancer need the support of their family members, some teens with cancer reported that their experiences of their faith deepened because of the cancer experience, and teens with cancer struggle mightily with the deaths of other teens with cancer.; The completed analysis is discussed in terms of recommendation for implementation. Intervention ideas are formulated for clinicians working with adolescents with cancer and their families. Finally, a critique of the research method is outlined and directions for future research are discussed, focusing on managing the controversy of using online support as an effective way of delivering support to adolescents with cancer, refining the online support provided so that it better meets the needs of this target population, and improving the models of intervention for clinicians working with adolescents with cancer and their families.