Impacts of Using Peer Online Forums in Mental Health: Realist Evaluation Using Mixed Methods.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Peer online forums offer people experiencing mental health challenges easily accessible and anonymous support. However, little is known about the impacts of using forums, how these impacts are generated, or who might benefit from which type of forum.

Objective

We aimed to develop a program theory to understand how peer online mental health forums work to help potential users, health professionals, service providers, and commissioners to decide whether to use forums and which to choose.

Methods

A realist evaluation using a mixed methods, case series design in collaboration with 7 peer online mental health forums was conducted. We triangulated analysis of a large web-based survey (n=791) with in-depth realist interviews (n=52) to test and refine previously de

SUBMITTER: Lobban F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12530154 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature