Computer Mediated Coping: Exploring the Quality of Supportive Communication in an Online Discussion Forum for Individuals Who Are Coping with Racial Discrimination
Coping with racial discrimination can be a complex and challenging endeavor, because individuals often feel powerless and stigmatized. Social support can help people cope more effectively with racial discrimination. This study examines the type and quality of supportive communication in an online forum for people who have experienced racial discrimination by examining messages' person centeredness and facework. A total of 1,203 messages from an online support forum were coded for support type, person centeredness, and facework features. Despite the sheer volume of support, most messages were only moderately person centered, and most advice messages did not adequately attend to targets' negative face. Our findings uncover some of the benefits and limitations of online social support, and we discuss implications for online forum moderators and participants.