1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9911147148903321

Autore

Stommel Wyke

Titolo

Entering an online support group on eating disorders : a discourse analysis / / Wyke Stommel

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Amsterdam : , : New York : , : Rodopi, , 2009

ISBN

9786612505300

9781282505308

1282505300

9789042026612

9042026618

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (287 p.)

Collana

Utrecht studies in language and communication, , 0927-7706 ; ; 21

Disciplina

025.066

Soggetti

Eating disorders

Medicine - Computer network resources

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Previously submitted to  Universität Frankfurt am Main as the author's doctoral dissertation.

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references (p. 263-283).

Nota di contenuto

Preliminary Material -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- The online support group as a community -- Identity in a community -- Accomplishing identity in an online community on eating disorders -- Research design: The forum, ethics, data and method -- Identity accomplished through nicknames -- Opening the first posting: Ambivalence towards the community -- Displaying forumability in the online community -- The main requirement of forumability: Recognition -- Entering the online support group and adopting the sick role -- Conclusions and discussion -- References -- Appendix -- CurriculumVitae.

Sommario/riassunto

Online support groups are considered highly valuable in addition to traditional health care services, but we know very little about how people actually join such a group. This book offers a microanalysis of an online support group on eating disorders, specifically the communication through textual messages between newcomers and regular members and members’ nicknames. The study uses an ethnomethodological and conversation analytical approach to show



that members of online support groups treat the group as a community in which their illness-identity is highly relevant. It appears that members invoke community norms regarding legitimacy for newcomers: Newcomers are expected to admit that they are ill, but this is a very difficult step for those who have not yet fully adopted the “sick role” (Parsons, 1951). In the field of eating disorders, it is particularly difficult for people that tend to pro-ana , id est the glamorization of eating disorders. The insecurity and anxiety that newcomers display as they enter the online group could probably be relieved when a special entry subforum would be installed in which they can take time and space to actually recognize that they are illustrations.