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Exploring the Role of Online Social Support in Eating Disorder Recovery: A Quantitative Computational Study

Dömsödi, Lilla Biborka LU (2024) SIMZ51 20241
Graduate School
Abstract
Eating disorders are highly prevalent and serious mental illnesses, that are embedded in wider social structures of inequalities and oppression. While social isolation is a key triggering and perpetuating factor, social support emerges as a gateway towards recovery. The online sphere holds great potential to connect eating disorder individuals, creating a space for social support towards recovery. The thesis applies quantitative computational analysis on Reddit data to evaluate whether social support experienced in an online pro-recovery community can be linked to eating disorder recovery. The results show a significant relationship between online social support and eating disorder recovery, with the emotional content of the support being... (More)
Eating disorders are highly prevalent and serious mental illnesses, that are embedded in wider social structures of inequalities and oppression. While social isolation is a key triggering and perpetuating factor, social support emerges as a gateway towards recovery. The online sphere holds great potential to connect eating disorder individuals, creating a space for social support towards recovery. The thesis applies quantitative computational analysis on Reddit data to evaluate whether social support experienced in an online pro-recovery community can be linked to eating disorder recovery. The results show a significant relationship between online social support and eating disorder recovery, with the emotional content of the support being the sole driving factor. The results prompt further research on the causal process between the two phenomena, as well as remind us not to neglect the well-established options in eating disorder treatment. Further methodological and theoretical implications of the main findings pertaining to digital social scientific research are discussed. (Less)
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author
Dömsödi, Lilla Biborka LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ51 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
eating disorder recovery, online social support, Reddit, traditional computational analysis, social network analysis, natural language processing, quantitative modeling
language
English
id
9152004
date added to LUP
2024-06-26 12:30:28
date last changed
2024-06-26 12:30:28
@misc{9152004,
  abstract     = {{Eating disorders are highly prevalent and serious mental illnesses, that are embedded in wider social structures of inequalities and oppression. While social isolation is a key triggering and perpetuating factor, social support emerges as a gateway towards recovery. The online sphere holds great potential to connect eating disorder individuals, creating a space for social support towards recovery. The thesis applies quantitative computational analysis on Reddit data to evaluate whether social support experienced in an online pro-recovery community can be linked to eating disorder recovery. The results show a significant relationship between online social support and eating disorder recovery, with the emotional content of the support being the sole driving factor. The results prompt further research on the causal process between the two phenomena, as well as remind us not to neglect the well-established options in eating disorder treatment. Further methodological and theoretical implications of the main findings pertaining to digital social scientific research are discussed.}},
  author       = {{Dömsödi, Lilla Biborka}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Exploring the Role of Online Social Support in Eating Disorder Recovery: A Quantitative Computational Study}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}