• 6A55CB5D-61F4-41B9-BFA5-FEA07DB5A942 BPA - Bullettin of Applied Psychology I Giunti Psychometrics

LOGIN

SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE
ico/view
ico/autori
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
ISSUES
FOR AUTHORS
SUBMIT YOUR ARTICLE
ABOUT THE JOURNAL
ISSUES
FOR AUTHORS
  • Home
  • Online peer help: Its quality in an online service for adolescents

Online peer help: Its quality in an online service for adolescents

Bastianina Contena, Michela Maccherini, Stefano Alemanno, Stefano Taddei

Accepted August 31, 2019

First published August 31, 2019

Abstract

Internet is the primary source of health-related information for adolescents and young adults and it is
possible to find online several groups, forums or communities of teenagers and young adults that offer peer help. A
problematic aspect related to this kind of help is its evaluation, not only in term of outcome but even in term of process.
Using a mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) this study tries to improve our understanding of dynamics of
online help among teenagers, by evaluating which are the principal users’ problems and how is the quality of support
offered by peers. 82 chats between adolescents in an online peer help service, called Youngle, are analyzed in term of
quality of offered help. Adolescents seek online help most of all for relational problems and the overall quality of peerhelp
is high. However, some aspects related to conversational ability require improvement interventions. For example,
peers seem to use more frequently negative communication patterns when talk about sexuality. Results suggest the
utility of peer help for generic topics that concern adolescence, such as the relational ones, but even the need to provide
specialized help for specific issues that appear to be extremely complex for adolescents, such as sexuality.

Online peer help: Its quality in an online service for adolescents

References

  • ALI, K., FARRER, L., GULLIVER, A. & GRIFFITHS, K.M. (2015).Online peer-to-peer support for young people with mentalhealth problems: A systematic review. JMIR Mental Health, 2 (2),e19.

    doi.org/10.2196/mental.4418

  • ANDERSSON, G. & TITOV, N. (2014). Advantages and limitationsof Internet-based interventions for common mental disorders.World Psychiatry, 13 (1), 4-11.

    doi.org/10.1002/wps.20083

  • BANERJEE, M., CAPOZZOLI, M., McSWEENEY, L. & SINHA,D. (2008). Beyond kappa: A review of interrater agreementmeasures. Canadian Journal of Statistics, 27 (1), 3-23.

    doi.org/10.2307/3315487

  • BRAITHWAITE, D.O., WALDRON, V.R. & FINN, J. (1999).Communication of social support in computer-mediated groupsfor people with disabilities. Health Communication, 11, 123-151.

    doi.org/10.1207/s15327027hc1102_2

  • COREY, G. (2018). The art of integrative counselling, 4th ed. NewJersey (USA): John Wiley & Sons.

  • CUTRONA, C.E. & SUHR, J.A. (1992). Controllability ofstressful events and satisfaction with spouse supportbehaviors. Communication Research, 19, 154-174.

    doi.org/10.1177/009365092019002002

  • DICKERSON, S., BOEHMKE, M., OGLE, C. & BROWN, J. (2006).Seeking and managing hope: Patients’ experiences using theinternet for cancer care. Oncology Nursing Forum, 33 (1), E8-E17.

    doi.org/10.1188/06.onf.e8-e17

  • EYSENBACH, G., POWELL, J., ENGLESAKIS, M., RIZO, C. &STERN, A. (2004). Health related virtual communities andelectronic support groups: Systematic review of the effects of

  • online peer to peer interactions. BMJ, 328 (7449), 1166.

    doi.org/10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1166

  • FERGIE, G., HILTON, S. & HUNT, K. (2016). Young adults’experiences of seeking online information about diabetes andmental health in the age of social media. Health Expectations, 19(6), 1324-1335.

    doi.org/10.1111/hex.12430

  • FUKKINK, R.G. (2011). Peer counseling in an online chat service:A content analysis of social support. Cyberpsychology, Behaviorand Social Networking, 14 (4), 247-251. doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20340FUKKINK, R.G. & HERMANNS, J.M.A. (2009a). Children’sexperiences with chat support and telephone support.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 50, 759-766. doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7610.2008.02024.xFUKKINK, R.G. & HERMANNS, J.M.A. (2009b). Counselingchildren at a helpline: Chatting or calling? Journal of CommunityPsychology, 37, 939-948.

    doi.org/10.1002/jcop.20340

  • GREINER, C., CHATTON, A. & KHAZAAL, Y. (2017). Onlineself-help forums on cannabis: A content assessment. PatientEducation and Counseling, 100 (10), 1943-1950.

    doi.org/0.1016/j.pec.2017.06.001

  • GULLIVER, A., GRIFFITHS, K.M. & CHRISTENSEN, H. (2010).Perceived barriers and facilitators to mental health help-seekingin young people: A systematic review. BMC Psychiatry, 10 (1),113.

    doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-10-113

  • HORGAN, D., BYRNE, D. & BRAND, A. (2013). EU directive onpatients’ rights to cross border healthcare. BMJ, 347 (dec31 2),f7694-f7694.

    doi.org/10.1136/bmj.f7694

  • KIM, J., WEINSTEIN, E. & SELMAN, R. (2015). Romanticrelationship advice from anonymous online helpers. Youth &Society, 49 (3), 369-392.

    doi.org/10.1177/0044118×15604849

  • KOO, T.K. & LI, M.Y. (2016). A guideline of selecting and reportingintraclass correlation coefficients for reliability research.Journal of Chiropractic Medicine, 15, 155-163.

    doi.org/10.1016/j.jcm.2016.02.012

  • LIEBERMAN, E. (2005). Nested analysis as a mixed-method strategyfor comparative research. American Political Science Review, 99(3), 435-452.

    doi.org/10.1017/s0003055405051762

  • McGEE, P., WINDES, D. & TORRES, M. (2017). Experienced onlineinstructors: Beliefs and preferred supports regarding onlineteaching. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 29 (2), 331-352.

    doi.org/10.1007/s12528-017-9140-6

  • MOSTERT, M. & SNOWBALL, J.D. (2013). Where angels fearto tread: Online peer-assessment in a large first-year class.Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 38 (6), 674-686.

    doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2012.683770

  • MYERS, K. & VANDER STOEP, A. (2017). I-Therapy: Asynchronoustelehealth expands access to mental health care and challengestenets of the therapeutic process. Journal of the AmericanAcademy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 56 (1), 5-7.

    doi.org/0.1016/j.jaac.2016.11.001

  • NICHOLAS, D., PICONE, G., VIGNEUX, A., McCORMICK, K.,MANTULAK, A., McCLURE, M., & MacCULLOCH, R. (2009).Evaluation of an online peer support network for adolescentswith chronic kidney disease. Journal of Technology in HumanServices, 27 (1), 23-33.

    doi.org/10.1080/15228830802462063

  • SIRIGATTI, S. (2007). Applicazioni dello Psychotherapy ProcessQ-Sort di Jones. In E. Molinari & A. Labella (Eds.), Psicologiaclinica. Dialoghi e confronti. Milano: Springer.

  • SPENCE, S.H., DONOVAN, C.L., MARCH, S., KENARDY, J.A.& HEARN, C.S. (2017). Generic versus disorder specificcognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder inyouth: A randomized controlled trial using internet delivery.Behaviour Research and Therapy, 90, 41-57.

    doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2016.12.003

  • STASIAK, K., FLEMING, T., LUCASSEN, M.F., SHEPHERD,M.J., WHITTAKER, R. & MERRY, S.N. (2016). Computer-based and online therapy for depression and anxiety inchildren and adolescents. Journal of Child and AdolescentPsychopharmacology, 26 (3), 235-245.

    doi.org/10.1089/cap.2015.0029

  • SWEENEY, G.M., DONOVAN, C.L., MARCH, S. & FORBES, Y.(2016). Logging into therapy: Adolescent perceptions of onlinetherapies for mental health problems. Internet Interventions.

    doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2016.12.001

  • van der ZANDEN, R., KRAMER, J., GERRITS, R. & CUIJPERS, P.(2012). Effectiveness of an online group course for depressionin adolescents and young adults: A randomized trial. Journal ofMedical Internet Research, 14 (3).

    doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2033

  • WARTELLA, E., RIDEOUT, V., MONTAGUE, H., BEAUDOIN-RYAN, L. & LAURICELLA, A. (2016). Teens, health andtechnology: A national survey. Media and Communication, 4 (3),13-23.

    doi.org/10.17645/mac.v4i3.515YOUNGLE. Social Net Skills (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.youngle.it/YOUNGLE. Zona di Sopravvivenza (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/youngle.firenze
SHOW ALL REFERENCES (27)HIDE REFERENCES

Related articles

Article info

Issue:

Issue 285

Keywords:

Adolescents

Conversational skills

Online peer help

Peer help quality

Views:

222

Downloads:

18

Cite the article:

Author Surname Author Initial. Title. Publication Title. Year Published;Volume number(Issue number):Pages Used. doi:DOI Number.


Contena Bastianina . Maccherini Michela . Alemanno Stefano . Taddei Stefano . Online peer help: Its quality in an online service for adolescents. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2019;285(1):13-23.
CITE THE ARTICLE
2779

Giunti Psychometrics

Giunti Psychometrics is the historic publisher of psychometric tests, psychology books, CME training courses and psychodiagnostic tools.

BPA - BULLETIN OF APPLIED PSYHOLOGY

Scientific Director: Alessandro Zennaro

Copyright © 2021 by Giunti Psychometrics

MANAGEMENT AND EDITORIAL OFFICE

Via Fra Paolo Sarpi, 7/A

50136 Firenze

Tel. 055 6236 501

mail: bpa@giuntipsy.com

ABOUT US
Copyright © 2021 Giunti Psychometrics | P. IVA 00421250481 · Giunti Psychometrics Srl, tutti i diritti riservati Responsabile della Protezione dei Dati (Art. 37 del REG UE 2016/679) Avv. Victoria Parise privacy@giuntipsy.com

Citation tool

How to cite this article

Author Surname Author Initial. Title. Publication Title. Year Published;Volume number(Issue number):Pages Used. doi:DOI Number.


Contena Bastianina . Maccherini Michela . Alemanno Stefano . Taddei Stefano . Online peer help: Its quality in an online service for adolescents. BPA Applied Psychology Bulletin. 2019;285(1):13-23.