Family eJournal: benefits of online guided group journaling for women

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits of online guided group journaling for an individual’s mental health. The authors focused on a specific social networking platform called Family eJournal. Design/methodology/approach In total, 51 female participants were recruited from an American university with an average age of 20 years. Participants completed an online survey called the Relationship and Lifestyle Questionnaire. The questionnaire utilized two subscales, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (Diener et al., 1985) and the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995). In addition, the questionnaire also measured several items related to an individual’s health choices such as smoking or dieting. Half of the participants in the study were randomly assigned to the Family eJournal user group. Findings Following the ten-week time period, the Family eJournal group reported significantly higher social support and lower scores of depression compared to the non-Family eJournal control group. However, there was no difference between groups in regard to anxiety or health choices. Implications of online group journaling and future directions are discussed. Research limitations/implications Current findings suggest that online journal sharing may provide a buffer from depression. For those who experience a negative perception of social experiences, building and maintaining interpersonal relationships becomes increasingly difficult, furthering the experiences of social isolation. Therefore, the ability to self-disclose and share personal experiences is crucial, albeit difficult to express (Heinrich and Gullone, 2006; Wei et al., 2005). As depression increases, individuals may alter the types of social, cognitive and emotional behaviors they employ. In turn, online asynchronous communication platforms may foster a reduction in discomfort in self-disclosure and increase positive perceptions of social experiences. Practical implications The findings suggest that the SNS platform FamilyeJournal may provide a simple opportunity to improve family relationships. Asynchronous online communication is immune to drawbacks and barriers associated with traditional means of communication such as busy schedules and geographic disparity (Perron, 2002). Social implications Online social networking may be a beneficial way to connect with others and facilitate positive mental health. Originality/value While the authors have known the benefits of journaling for some time, few studies to date have examined the potential benefits of asynchronous communication via online journaling. Online journaling platforms may provide an attractive avenue for enhancing the well-being for individuals who have limited opportunities to communicate in real time.

Digital Mental Health Interventions for Depression, Anxiety, and Enhancement of Psychological Well-Being Among College Students: Systematic Review

“…The vast majority of the included studies (n=81 [41-44,47-52,54-56,58-111,113,114,116-120,122,123,125-129]) took place at universities, with far fewer taking place at 4-year colleges (n=2 [45,46]), at health professional schools (eg, medical school and nursing school; n=5 [57,115,121,124,130]), and at community colleges (n=1 [53]). Approximately half of the studies (n=44 [42-48,50,53,55,56,58-61,63,65,66,72,73, 76-78,81,87-90,93,95,98,99,101-104,106,108,110,116-118, 122,125]) targeted undergraduate students exclusively. Most studies included were focused on either universal prevention programs (n=36 [43,48,53,54,63-67,70-73,75-78,90,91, 94,95,97,99,100,102,106-108,110-112,114,118,119,125,126]), or on treatment intervention programs (n=22 [41,49,…”

“…Approximately half of the studies (n=44 [42-48,50,53,55,56,58-61,63,65,66,72,73, 76-78,81,87-90,93,95,98,99,101-104,106,108,110,116-118, 122,125]) targeted undergraduate students exclusively. Most studies included were focused on either universal prevention programs (n=36 [43,48,53,54,63-67,70-73,75-78,90,91, 94,95,97,99,100,102,106-108,110-112,114,118,119,125,126]), or on treatment intervention programs (n=22 [41,49,50,52, 58,69,74,79,80,83-86,88,89,92,98,113,117,120,122,127]).…”

“…We examined if each study appeared to be designed specifically for students (eg, the purpose of the study was focused on college student mental health) or if college students appeared to be used as a convenience sample. As seen in Multimedia Appendix 2, a minority of the studies (n=12 [44,71,89,90,93,95,104, 110,111,114,118,123]) appeared to use college students as a convenience sample, and for an additional 9 studies, it was unclear if the program was being tested specifically for college student mental health or if college students were a convenience sample [47,50,51,61,64,68,84,105,122].…”

“…A total of 71 studies utilized a Web-based technology ([42-44, 46,49,50,53-55,57,59-88,90,91,94,96-101,103-110,112,113,115-121, 123-126,128]), and 8 studies utilized interventions delivered via mobile phone (app-based programs and short message service–based programs) [52,56,59,95,101,102,114,129]. Furthermore, 11 studies utilized offline computer-based programs [41,45,47,51,52,89,92,93,105,111,127], and 3 studies focused on virtual reality programs [58,111,122].…”

“…The modal length of intervention was 8 weeks. Most studies focused on digital mental health programs developed for the specific study, whereas a minority of studies (n=15) focused on publicly available interventions (ie, Beating the Blues, n=3 [83,84,86]; MoodGYM, n=5 ([50,57,68,98,112]); Therapist-Assisted Online, n=1 [113]; Headspace and Smiling Mind, n=1 [95]; Family eJournal, n=1 [90]; Tess chatbot, n=1 [97]; DeStressify, n=1 [102]; Overcome Social Anxiety, n=1 [103]); SilverCloud Health’s Space from Depression, Space from Anxiety, and Space from Stress, n=1 [128]; and CareCollaborateConnect: Student Success and thedesk, n=1 [109]).…”