Wellness Impacts of Social Capital Built in Online Peer Support Forums

Sue Kilpatrick (), Sherridan Emery, Jane Farmer and Peter Kamstra
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Sue Kilpatrick: College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia
Sherridan Emery: College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7005, Australia
Jane Farmer: Social Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Peter Kamstra: Social Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: The study reported in this paper sought to explore whether and how social capital resources were generated on online peer support mental health forums, and how they were used by rural users to influence mental health outcomes. Interviews with rural users of three Australian online peer support mental health forums were analysed to identify interactions that accessed social capital resources and mental wellness outcomes that flowed from these. Analysis drew on a model of simultaneous building and using of social capital to uncover the nature of the social capital resources present on the forum and how they were built. Findings show that forums were sites for building ‘knowledge resources’ including archives of users’ experiences of navigating mental illness and the mental health service system; and ‘identity resources’ including a willingness to contribute in line with forum values. The knowledge and identity resources built and available to rural users on the forums are facilitated by forum characteristics, which can be viewed as affordances of technology and institutional affordances. Operation by trusted organisations, moderation, a large network of users and anonymity created a safe space that encouraged reciprocity and where users exchanged information and social support that helped them maintain better mental wellness.

Keywords: rural mental health; social capital; online peer support forums; reciprocity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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