Social Support in Online Peer Groups for Celiac Disease

While there is considerable evidence for the positive effects of onsite peer support on health outcomes, few studies have addressed the impact of online peer support. This study differentiates between emotional (ES) and informational (IS) online peer support for people with celiac disease. We hypothesize that receiving ES and IS positively correlates with self-reported well-being and dietary compliance and that these relations would be moderated by the duration of illness. We used a correlational, cross-sectional design (N = 369). Both functions of support were positively related to well-being and dietary compliance. The strengths of the positive relationships between ES and both outcomes and IS and well-being were independent of the duration of illness. IS was significantly positively related to dietary compliance among participants with a longer duration of illness, but unrelated among participants with a shorter duration. Due to the correlational design, we cannot infer causality. Conclusion: Our findings advance the understanding of online support in contexts where proper self-management is crucial for health outcomes.