ERIC Number: EJ935961
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0144-929X
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
A Comparison of Empathic Communication Pattern for Teenagers and Older People in Online Support Communities
Siriaraya, Panote; Tang, Caleb; Ang, Chee Siang; Pfeil, Ulrike; Zaphiris, Panayiotis
Behaviour & Information Technology, v30 n5 p617-628 2011
This article reports a study that investigated the occurrences of empathy in online support communities for teenagers. Qualitative content analysis with 400 messages from a discussion board about depression was used to identify how empathy was expressed in the specific online communication. Emphasis was also placed on the comparison of this age group to older people, by comparing the results with those from a previous study on empathy in an online support community about depression for older people. Specifically, the analysis focused on the frequencies of the categories of the code scheme, linguistic characteristics of the communication content, the occurring components of empathy, and the roles as well as activities of the members. From our analysis, we concluded that young people exchanged a substantial amount of empathic emotional communication when participating in an online support community, and they communicated on a more personal level compared to older people, who tended to engage in a more formal communication. In addition, teenagers also showed a high level of understanding but lower level of concern compared to older persons when expressing empathy online. (Contains 1 figure, 3 tables, and 3 notes.)
Descriptors: Age Differences, Comparative Analysis, Computer Mediated Communication, Adolescents, Content Analysis, Empathy, Depression (Psychology), Older Adults, Social Support Groups, Language Usage, Emotional Response, Role
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
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