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"Det är som många beskriver, en känsla av att inte passa in" - En kvalitativ studie av ett internetforum för sociala fobiker

Eliasson, Tanja LU and Gunnarsson, Helga LU (2013) SOPA63 20122
School of Social Work
Abstract
The aim of this study was to examine how individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) describe their phobia and what techniques they have to manage this in their everyday lives. The material was gathered from a Swedish online support community for people with SAD and panic disorder, posts clearly pertaining to panic disorder were disregarded. We also wanted to examine if this support community could have a rehabilitating effect. 97 posts were collected for the study. During the analyzing phase the material was broken down into five categories: descriptions of symptoms, positive solutions, safety behaviours, consequences and causes for the phobia. To analyze the material we used social constructivism and the dramaturgical model of Erving... (More)
The aim of this study was to examine how individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) describe their phobia and what techniques they have to manage this in their everyday lives. The material was gathered from a Swedish online support community for people with SAD and panic disorder, posts clearly pertaining to panic disorder were disregarded. We also wanted to examine if this support community could have a rehabilitating effect. 97 posts were collected for the study. During the analyzing phase the material was broken down into five categories: descriptions of symptoms, positive solutions, safety behaviours, consequences and causes for the phobia. To analyze the material we used social constructivism and the dramaturgical model of Erving Goffman. The support community was found to have a positive effect on some of the writers’ lives. Some of them had become friends in real life and the forum was a place where they could share their thoughts openly without feeling examined. We also found that they often gave each other advice and that the community had a kind and accepting atmosphere. They didn’t write much about their background or their reasons for having SAD, instead they seemed to be focused on the future and getting better. In conclusion, the online support community seemed to have some positive effect on the individuals with SAD communicating there. There are professional treatments over the Internet for SAD but online support communities such as the one we have examined can still be important in giving the individuals a sense of togetherness, which they may have trouble finding in real life. (Less)
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author
Eliasson, Tanja LU and Gunnarsson, Helga LU
supervisor
organization
course
SOPA63 20122
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
social phobia, Goffman, social constructivism, online support community, social anxiety disorder
language
Swedish
id
3410661
date added to LUP
2013-01-28 18:11:16
date last changed
2013-01-28 18:11:16
@misc{3410661,
  abstract     = {{The aim of this study was to examine how individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) describe their phobia and what techniques they have to manage this in their everyday lives. The material was gathered from a Swedish online support community for people with SAD and panic disorder, posts clearly pertaining to panic disorder were disregarded. We also wanted to examine if this support community could have a rehabilitating effect. 97 posts were collected for the study. During the analyzing phase the material was broken down into five categories: descriptions of symptoms, positive solutions, safety behaviours, consequences and causes for the phobia. To analyze the material we used social constructivism and the dramaturgical model of Erving Goffman. The support community was found to have a positive effect on some of the writers’ lives. Some of them had become friends in real life and the forum was a place where they could share their thoughts openly without feeling examined. We also found that they often gave each other advice and that the community had a kind and accepting atmosphere. They didn’t write much about their background or their reasons for having SAD, instead they seemed to be focused on the future and getting better. In conclusion, the online support community seemed to have some positive effect on the individuals with SAD communicating there. There are professional treatments over the Internet for SAD but online support communities such as the one we have examined can still be important in giving the individuals a sense of togetherness, which they may have trouble finding in real life.}},
  author       = {{Eliasson, Tanja and Gunnarsson, Helga}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{"Det är som många beskriver, en känsla av att inte passa in" - En kvalitativ studie av ett internetforum för sociala fobiker}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}