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The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of online support groups for anxiety and depression.
In recent years the number of online support groups for conditions like depression and anxiety has grown rapidly. Millions of people are thought to be using them around the world. This research aims to help find out whether the use of online support groups is beneficial and to learn more about what happens in these groups.
This research will compare online support groups with expressive writing. Expressive writing involves people writing about their thoughts and feelings, often upsetting ones, for a short period of time. In online support groups giving and receiving support from others can be helpful while expressive writing about emotional issues can be cathartic.
1,000 participants will be recruited online from the UK, USA and Canada and randomly assigned to either an existing online support group or to an expressive writing condition.
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| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online support group | Experimental |
| |
| Expressive writing | Active Comparator |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online support group | Behavioral | Expressive writing involves people writing about their thoughts and feelings, often upsetting ones, for a short period of time. |
|
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale | Zero, three and six months |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Satisfaction with Life Scale | Zero, three and six months | |
| The Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey | Zero, three and six months | |
| Generalised Anxiety Disorder Assessment |
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
-
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| Name | Affiliation | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Chris Barker | University College, London | Principal Investigator |
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University College London | London | WC1E 6BT | United Kingdom |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27189142 | Derived | Dean J, Potts HW, Barker C. Direction to an Internet Support Group Compared With Online Expressive Writing for People With Depression And Anxiety: A Randomized Trial. JMIR Ment Health. 2016 May 17;3(2):e12. doi: 10.2196/mental.5133. |
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| Type | Date | Date Unknown |
|---|---|---|
| Release | Dec 18, 2013 | |
| Unrelease | Yes | |
| Release | Jan 7, 2014 | |
| Reset | Feb 25, 2014 |
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| Release Date | Unrelease Date | Unrelease Date Unknown | Reset Date | MCP Release Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 18, 2013 | Yes | |||
| Jan 7, 2014 |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D003863 | Depression |
| D001008 | Anxiety Disorders |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D001526 | Behavioral Symptoms |
| D001519 | Behavior |
| D001523 | Mental Disorders |
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| Expressive writing | Behavioral | Online support groups are internet forums where like-minded people give and receive both informational and emotional support. |
|
| Zero, three and six months |
| The Illness perception questionnaire | Zero, three and six months |
| Feb 25, 2014 |