Internet-Based Clinical Services: Virtual Support Groups for Family Caregivers
Abstract
Objectives: An internet-based psychotherapeutic support group intervention for family caregivers of persons with neurodegenerative diseases was developed in a series of pilot studies and subsequently evaluated in a feasibility study with 34 participants. The aim was to duplicate online group interactions typical of face-to-face support groups. Methods: A user-friendly web site was developed according to usability criteria for older adult users. Unique features of the web site included video conferencing in two formats, one-on-one and a group format with up to 6 participants and a facilitator. Following ten professionally facilitated sessions, each group evolved into a web-based self-help support group facilitated online by a group member. Results: Qualitative analyses of early, middle and late group video conferencing sessions yielded themes congruent with face-to-face group process. Follow up interviews six months following the initiation of the online groups showed overall positive participant responses in each of the following areas: learning to use computers, negotiating the web site links, obtaining disease-specific information from the website, using technology to communicate, bonding with group members, providing mutual guidance and support, and benefiting in terms of coping with the stresses of caregiving.
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All studies included results on feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness, and some reported issues connected with implementation.
“All studies included results on feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness, and some reported issues connected with implementation [33,36-38,40-44,47].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
Overall, inexperience with videoconferencing or computer use did not appear to be a major problem; the majority of studies reported that over time participants found the technology easy to use and enjoyable.
“Overall, inexperience did not appear to be a major problem as the majority of studies reported that, over time, participants found the technology easy to use [32-35,40-42,46] and found videoconferencing enjoyable [42,44-46].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
Validity was demonstrated through the analysis of discussion themes and was consistent with the face-to-face groups.
“Validity was demonstrated through the analysis of discussion themes such as cohesiveness, empathic support, problem solving, or issues in disease-specific caregiver literature and was consistent with the face-to-face groups [36,38,40-42].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
Treatment reliability and validity was assessed in four psychoeducational studies.
“Treatment reliability and validity was assessed in four psychoeducational studies [36,38,41,43].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
In 2 studies, facilitators reported that implementing the intervention by videoconferencing was initially challenging.
“In 2 studies, facilitators reported that implementing the intervention by videoconferencing was initially challenging, but over time, techniques were mastered, and the operation became more automatic [38,41].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
Bonding and cohesiveness were reported in all high-quality studies and in one low-quality study.
“Bonding and cohesiveness were reported in all high-quality studies and in one low-quality study [40,41].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
The face-to-face group format and process was replicated in videoconferencing groups in 3 studies.
“The face-to-face group format and process was replicated in videoconferencing groups in 3 studies [36,38,41], and treatment protocol was adhered to in videoconferencing format in 2 of the studies [38,43].”
From Telehealth Interventions Delivering Home-based Support Group Videoconferencing: Systematic Review (2018) · cites this paper as [41]
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- Authors
- Marziali, E., Damianakis, T., & Donahue, P.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- University of Calgary (CA)
- ORCID
- Damianakis, Thecla
- Venue
- Journal of Technology in Human Services
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2006-07-18
- Volume
- 24
- Issue
- 2-3
- Pages
- 39-54
- ISSN
- 0740-445X (ISSN-L)
- 1522-8835
- 1522-8991
- OpenAlex
- W2073552696
- Cited by
- 61
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 3 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 8.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Technology in Human Services (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Demography › Technology Use by Older Adults
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Telemedicine and Telehealth Implementation
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Nursing care and research
- Keywords
- family caregivers, neurodegenerative diseases, online support groups, videoconferencing, internet-based psychotherapy, self-help groups, caregiver stress, group process, older adults, website usability, technology adoption
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