Internet discussion forums good for well-being, study shows

Online discussion forums have positive links to well-being and are associated with increased community engagement offline, says a new study in Computers in Human Behavior. The research suggests that online forums have benefits for individuals and wider society and are of greater importance than previously realised.
Forums are still regularly used by around 10% of online users in the UK and 20% in the US.
Users from a wide variety of forums were approached (from those discussing mental health problems to golfers and environmental issues).
They were asked about their motivations for joining the discussion forum, the fulfilment of their expectations, their identification with other forum users, their satisfaction with life and their offline engagement with issues raised on the forum.
“Our findings paint a more optimistic picture of old-style online discussion forums,” explains Dr Louise Pendry who led the work. “Often we browse forums just hoping to find answers to our questions. In fact, as well as finding answers, our study showed users often discover that forums are a source of great support, especially those seeking information about more stigmatising conditions. Moreover, we found that users of both forum types who engaged more with other forum users showed a greater willingness to get involved in offline activities related to the forum, such as volunteering, donating or campaigning.”

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Image credit: Jody Morris