Motivated and able: when is facebook used to seek friendship and social support?

When employing adaptive behaviors to a changing environment, ability and motivation work hand in hand. Our goal was to investigate how ability and motivation interact when utilizing Facebook for social support and friendship. We predicted that well-being and perceived social support would be negatively related to motivation to use Facebook for social support and friendship. We also predicted that computer-mediated communication (CMC) competence would positively related to these motives. A survey of 282 college students tested our mediational model. Results indicated that perceived social support mediated the relationship between well-being and motivations to use Facebook for social support, but only when CMC competence was high, meaning students experienced this relationship only when both motivated and able to use Facebook for the purpose of seeking social support. The results suggest that interventions to increase CMC competence through Facebook use can help students garner greater social support and improve overall well-being.

Family Communication Patterns and Parents' Intentions to Vaccinate Their Child Against COVID-19.

This study explored how family communication patterns relate to parental knowledge about COVID-19, vaccine confidence, and intentions to vaccinate their children. Parents from 4 states (Ohio, New York, Georgia, and Texas; n = 702) completed an online survey in March 2021. Results revealed that conversation orientation was positively associated with both COVID-19 knowledge and overall vaccine confidence, which were both positively associated with intentions to vaccinate one's child. The relationships between the 4 subscales of conformity and the outcome variables were mixed. We discuss the potential benefits of applying family communication patterns theory to complicated situations where parents are making health decisions for both themselves and their children.

A Social Cognitive Theory Approach to Understanding Parental Attitudes and Intentions to Vaccinate Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine represents a path towards global health after a worldwide pandemic. Yet, the U.S. response to the vaccination rollout has been politically polarized. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of the contextual factors that influence parents' attitudes towards health officials and their intention to vaccinate children, focusing on communication behaviors, personal factors, and geographic locations. We use Bandura's triadic reciprocal determinism (TRD) model which posits reciprocal influence between personal factors, environmental factors, and behaviors. We found that personal factors (having younger children and identifying as Republican partisans), and the behavioral factor of conservative news use were significantly related to more negative attitudes towards health officials and lower vaccination intentions. Conversely, Democrats and liberal news use were significantly related to warmer attitudes and greater vaccination intentions. The environmental factor of geographic location across four states with different partisan dynamics was not significantly related to attitudes and behavioral intentions. Results from a post-hoc analysis show that news media use and partisanship were the strongest correlates of parents' attitudes towards health officials. This evidence points to the politicization of the COVID-19 vaccine being a key consideration regarding vaccine uptake.

The Moderating Role of Self-construal in Culturally Reflected Fear Appeals.

Scholars have long investigated fear appeals as a way to improve persuasive messages, yet we still lack understanding regarding the role of cultural orientation in relation to fear appeals. In the current study, we investigate how individual self-construal influences responses to culturally reflected fear appeals in the context of smoking cessation. Using a 2 (reference type: self-reference versus other-reference) x 2 (smoking cessation program: individual program versus group program) experimental design, this study found that self-construal moderates the effects of reference type on perceived threat and perceived threat to freedom. In addition, main effects of self-construal on perceived threat to freedom and self-efficacy are observed. Theoretical and practical implications of findings are discussed.

Headlines and hashtags: communicating science during an outbreak.

Science and medical professionals are often looked to as experts in the event of a health crisis, but relatively few have received formal training in science communication. We provide a brief review of the current outbreak situation and suggestions for engaging in reliable, effective science communication online.

How Older Adults and Their Families Perceive Family Talk about Aging-Related EOL Issues: A Dialectical Analysis.

For older adults, approaching end-of-life (EOL) brings unique transitions related to family relationships. Unfortunately, most families greatly underestimate the need to discuss these difficult issues. For example, parents approaching EOL issues often struggle with receiving assistance from others, avoiding family conflict, and maintaining their sense of personhood. In addition, discussions of EOL issues force family members to face their parents' mortality, which can be particularly difficult for adult children to process emotionally. This study explored aging issues identified by aging parents and their families as they traverse these impending EOL changes. Ten focus groups of seniors (n = 65) were conducted. Focus groups were organized according to race (African-American/European-American), gender, and whether the older adult was living independently or in an assisted care facility. When asked open-ended questions about discussing aging and EOL issues with family members, participants revealed tensions that led us to consider Relational Dialectics Theory as a framework for analysis. The predominant tension highlighted in this report was certainty versus uncertainty, with the two sub-themes of sustained life versus sustained personhood and confronting versus avoiding EOL issues. For these data, there were more similarities than differences as a result of gender, race, or living situation than one might expect, although culture and financial status were found to be influential in the avoidance of EOL discussions. The results of this study help to provide additional insight into relational dialectics related to aging, EOL, and the importance of communication in facilitating family coping.

Friends don't let friends suffer from depression: how threat, efficacy, knowledge, and empathy relate to college students'; intentions to intervene on behalf of a depressed friend.

Mental health-specifically, depression-is of growing concern to health professionals and the public. Health messages can be used to increase the number of people receiving treatment for depressive disorders. The effectiveness of these messages may be amplified by including an interpersonal influence component, such as encouraging individuals to intervene if they suspect a friend or family member is suffering from depression. The purposes of this study were to (a) explore college students'; behavioral intentions when presented with an opportunity to intervene on behalf of a depressed friend, (b) examine the potential of the Extended Parallel Process Model to help direct message design using efficacy and threat, and (c) investigate the respective influences of empathy and knowledge on behavioral intentions related to intervening on behalf of a depressed friend. Results indicated that self-efficacy and response efficacy, as well as perceived knowledge, could be used to help determine students'; readiness to talk with a friend who may be suffering from depression. Empathy (specifically empathic concern and perspective-taking) can also play a significant role in health promotion efforts that blend media and interpersonal health messages.

Reducing depression in stroke survivors and their informal caregivers: a randomized clinical trial of a Web-based intervention.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To develop and test the efficacy of a Web-based intervention for alleviating depression in male stroke survivors (SSs) and their spousal caregivers (CGs) that blends both peer and professional support. DESIGN AND METHODS: The research consisted of an intervention protocol evaluated by a focus group of rehabilitation professionals, a "think aloud" session conducted with female stroke CGs, and a usability test of the intervention's online features with 7 female stroke CGs. Efficacy of the final protocol was tested in a 2-group randomized clinical trial with a sample of 32 CG-SS dyads. The CGs in the intervention condition received an online group intervention. Intervention components were based on the Stress Process Model. Those CGs in a control condition received minimal support with individualized access to relevant online information. Measures of depression, as well as the secondary outcomes of mastery, self-esteem, and social support, were obtained from SSs and CGs at pretest, posttest, and 1-month later. RESULTS: At posttest and 1 month later, CGs in the intervention condition reported significantly lower depression than CGs in the control condition with baseline depression controlled. There was no significant effect on depression among SSs. Although no significant treatment effects for either SSs or CGs were found on the secondary outcomes, posttreatment changes on some constructs were significantly correlated with change in depression. CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: CGs benefit from Web-based programs that help them better understand both their emotional needs and those of the SS.

Threat, efficacy, and uncertainty in the first 5 months of national print and electronic news coverage of the H1N1 virus.

The authors conducted a content analysis, investigating the first 5 months of national print and electronic news coverage of the H1N1 virus. They collected all stories about H1N1 appearing in 6 national news outlets between April and September 2009. Of these stories meeting the analysis criteria, the authors randomly selected 200 for inclusion. Using models of fear appeal message processing, this study investigated the nature and prevalence of threat and efficacy messages in news coverage of the virus. Such models have traditionally been applied to strategic health message contexts (e.g., campaigns) rather than to health news coverage. Results suggest that most stories made reference to the threat of the H1N1 virus, sometimes overemphasizing and sensationalizing virus-related death. With regard to efficacy, approximately half mentioned actions individuals or organizations/communities could take to protect themselves from the virus, but almost none provided evidence that such methods are effective, and some explicitly questioned their effectiveness. In addition, a number of stories referenced uncertainty about the threat of the virus (38%) and/or solutions to the potential threat (18%). The authors discuss the implications from the perspective of fear appeal message processing models.

Hospice volunteer as patient advocate: a trait approach.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to examine traits of hospice volunteers that facilitate their success in this informal caregiving role, with the larger goal of alleviating the family caregiver burden and providing additional support to the hospice patient. To achieve this goal, a new scale was developed to tap into how hospice volunteers view their patient advocacy role. METHOD: Participants were 136 trained hospice volunteers from the Midwest who had direct contact with hospice patients. Volunteers mailed anonymous surveys that included measures of argumentativeness, locus of control, attitudes toward patient advocacy, and key demographic items. A new scale was developed to measure patient advocacy by hospice volunteers called the Hospice Volunteer as Patient Advocate. RESULTS: Submitting this scale to exploratory factor analysis, two factors emerged: duty as patient advocate and support of patient rights. After performing a multiple regression analysis, results showed that female volunteers who were high in internal locus of control were more likely to perceive that volunteers have a duty as patient advocates. Younger volunteers with more years of volunteer experience, higher levels of internal locus of control, and lower external locus of control were more likely to support patient rights. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The findings of this study could be used to formalize hospice volunteers' role as patient advocates, thus better utilizing them as committed, caring communicators and improving patient-centered care at end-of-life.

Everyday health communication experiences of college students.

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined college students' day-to-day health communication experiences. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 109 midwestern university students participated in the study. METHODS: The participants completed health communication diaries for 2 weeks, generating 2,185 records. Frequent health topics included nutrition and diet, minor health concerns, risky health practices, and body fitness. RESULTS: Approximately 27% of health communication experiences involved the proactive seeking of health-related information or advice. Interpersonal venues (face-to-face, telephone, and e-mail) were evident in about 75% of the records, which were dominated by exchanges with friends and family members. The authors found modest interactions of topic, channel, and purpose. CONCLUSIONS: Congruent with the uses and gratifications theory, the authors found that satisfaction with and perceived impact of health communication experiences varied by topic, channel, relationship, and purpose.

The emotional needs of care recipients and the psychological well-being of informal caregivers: implications for home care clinicians.

In this exploratory study, 77 informal caregivers of older persons in Ohio completed telephone interviews that included questions regarding their perceived difficulty providing emotional and physical care, perceived quality of care, demographic items including caregivers' health status, and a measure of their psychological well-being. Findings suggest that psychological well-being of informal caregivers is diminished when they experience greater difficulty meeting the care recipients' emotional care needs, are in poorer health, or are older. Suggestions for clinical implications and future research based on these findings are discussed.

The role of social support in the family and community integration of right-hemisphere stroke survivors.

The goal of this project was to understand better the communicative processes by which social support can assist right-hemisphere stroke survivors in the process of community integration. Open-ended interviews were conducted with 12 right-hemisphere stroke survivors and their family caregivers. The transcribed interviews revealed 7 challenges (physical, cognitive-perceptual, emotional, relationship, employment, financial, and challenges to activities of daily living) and three types of resources (formal external, informal external, and internal). Stroke survivors' internal resources were shown to be essential for facilitating community integration. Implications for researchers and health care providers are discussed within the framework of Hobfoll's (1988) conservation of resources theory.

The working alliance as a model for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Rehabilitation and health care researchers are increasingly called upon to examine contemporary disability issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to (a) borrow from the counseling literature to introduce the working alliance, a model developed by Bordin [1] to facilitate positive therapeutic relationships; and (b) to discuss its application to interdisciplinary research. The authors, who represent the fields of nursing, rehabilitation, and health communication, describe characteristics of the working alliance and draw upon their experiences to illustrate the key components of effective working alliances (bonds, goals, and tasks). We also introduce strategies for resolving disagreements and conclude the article with a discussion regarding the multiple rewards that can be acquired from interdisciplinary research.

A review and application of social scientific measures of religiosity and spirituality: assessing a missing component in health communication research.

Social and behavioral scientists in fields such as psychology, sociology, anthropology, nursing, and medicine have been investigating the relation between religious or spiritual variables and health outcomes for several decades. This article reviews a sample of the major empirical instruments used in this research, including extrinsic and intrinsic religiosity, spiritual well-being, and religious coping. The review encompasses suggestions for application of these scales to health communication theory and research associated with identity, self-efficacy, social support, and media use. Cautionary advice regarding ethical issues together with guidelines for use is advanced.