Hanging by a Thread: Exploring the Features of Nonresponse in an Online Young Adult Cancer Survivorship Support Community

• In Event: Cancer Health Communication

Abstract

Finding helpful information can be challenging for young adult (YA) cancer survivors (Zebrack, 2009), thus it is critical to examine the features of online posts that (un)successfully solicit responses. We analyzed the features of initial posts from an online YA cancer community that did and did not receive replies utilizing Linguistic Inquiry Word Count (LIWC), a word-based computerized text analysis software, to study the emotional, cognitive, structural, and process components present in written text (Pennebaker, Booth, & Francis, 2007). Independent t-tests revealed significant mean differences between posts responded to and posts not receiving replies regarding content, emotions, cognitive processes, pronoun use, and linguistic complexity. By understanding the features of posts that successfully achieve support through replies, as well as those that fail to earn responses, this research provides communication researchers, health educators, and care providers a lens to understand the experiences of YA cancer survivorship displayed through online support communities.

Authors

• Brittani Crook, University of Texas - Austin

• Elizabeth Glowacki, U of Texas - Austin

• Brad Love, U of Texas