An Online Participatory Observation: The Online Depression Community's Discussion on Depression Treatment

Authors

  • Hsinzhu Wu College of Communication, National Chengchi University, Taipei City, China (P.R.C)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24203/ajhss.v9i5.6797

Keywords:

health communication, depression, science communication, depression community, online participation observation

Abstract

This article uses the online participatory observation method to analyze more than 2,000 posts of the "Sunshine Project Psychological Mutual Assistance Forum" in Mainland China. The research observed the discussion of depression in the online patient community in anonymous forums, including the popularization of medical knowledge about diseases, self-disclosure of patient diagnosis and treatment experience, patient interaction, and patient discussions on controversial issues and rumors of the disease. The results of the study show that the online community of depression patients is both a "web of information" and a "web of mutual help." The patient's health information acquisition mode has changed from vertical reception to horizontal interconnection, which not only enhances patients' scientific understanding of the disease but also allows them to increase their sense of psychological security in their interpersonal interactions. In this new type of risk communication mode, how to establish a new fact-checking mechanism and establish ordinary people's trust in scientific and medical knowledge is a new challenge.

 

References

Abrams, R. (2002). Electroconvulsive therapy. Oxford University Press.

American Psychiatric Association (2013).Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th edition: DSM-5. Washington, DC: Author.

Chen Caihui, Xia Yixin, Zhou Guiru (2004). Clinical Analysis of Cognitive Behavior Group Therapy in Patients with Depression . Tzu Chi Journal of Nursing , 3(1), 19-27.

Chen Junqin (2004). Depression and Depression . Taipei: Healthy.

Dong Wei (2010). Research on Depression Reporting from the Perspective of Health Communication . News World , (5), 91-93.

Freud (2018). Introduction to Psychoanalysis (New Edition) (Vol. 281). Left bank.

Jiang Yang (2018). Research on the Communication of Depression Issues from the Perspective of Health Communication , Master's thesis. Chongqing: Chongqing University.

Klin, A. & Lemish, D. (2008). Mental disorders stigma in the media: Review of studies on production, content, and influences. Journal of Health Communication, 13(5), 434−449.

Lin Meiyang (2001), Study on the Impact of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Group on Patients with Depression and the Treatment Effect , unpublished doctoral dissertation. Changhua: National Changhua Normal University.

Liu Yi'an (2017). Is Electrotherapy Scary to Treat Depression?

Morris, G. (2006). Mental health issues and the media- An introduction for health professionals. New York: Routledge.

Nairn, R. G.. (2007). Media portrayals of mental illness, or is it madness? A review. Australian Psychologist, 42(2), 138−146.

Pang Xu (2016). Research on Depression Reporting from the Perspective of Health Communication (2011-2015) . Master thesis of Journalism of East China Normal University.

Philo, G.. (Ed.) (1996). Media and mental distress. London and New York: Longman.

Ren Jinzhou, Kang Yunkai (2015). Depression from the Perspective of Health Communication in my country's Television Media, Media Today, 23(11), 165-167.

Shu Manqiao, Xu Weilong, Anbang, Zhao Fangxia, Zhang Juan (2014). The Effect of Psychotherapy on the Rehabilitation of Depressed Patients. Occupational Health and Injuries , 29(2), 162-163.

Stansbury,K., &Gunnar, M. R. (1994). Adrenocortical activity and emotion regulation. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 59(2-3), 108-134.

Wahl, F. O., & Roth, R. (1982). Television images of mental illness: Results of a metropolitan Washington media watch. Journal of Broadcasting, 26(2), 599−605.

Wahl, F. O., Wood, A., & Richards, R. (2002). Newspaper coverage of mental illness: Is it changing? Psychiatric Rehabilitation Skills, 6(1), 9−31.

Wu Mengjin, Xu Meiling (2011). The Biomedical Reality, Social Cultural Reality and News Reappearance of Depression: Taking Taiwan's China Times and Apple Daily as examples, Journal of Communication and Sociology, (17), 87-121.

Ye Suijun (2010). Eight weeks of exercise intervention on the physical activity, physical fitness and quality of life of the visually impaired . Dissertation of Pingtung University of Science and Technology Department of Leisure Sports and Health Care.

Downloads

Published

2021-11-08

How to Cite

Wu, H. (2021). An Online Participatory Observation: The Online Depression Community’s Discussion on Depression Treatment. Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Studies, 9(5). https://doi.org/10.24203/ajhss.v9i5.6797