When support is needed: Social support solicitation and provision in an online alcohol use disorder forum:

BackgroundObtaining adequate social support presents a challenge for many in addiction recovery. Increasingly, individuals in recovery use online forums to exchange support with peers, yet it is unclear which help-seeking strategies most effectively recruit peer support, and which forms of support are most valued by recipients.MethodsThis study applied quantitative content analysis to examine social support solicitation and delivery in an online forum for alcohol use disorder (AUD). We compared the frequency with which peers provided informational, emotional, and companionship support after solicitations that: (1) were direct or indirect, (2) disclosed positive or negative emotions, and (3) mentioned or did not mention recovery problems. We assessed likelihood that recipients would express gratitude after receiving each type of support, and assessed whether the “match” between solicitation and disclosure styles influenced rates of gratitude expression.ResultsEmotional disclosures, whether positive or nega...