Exploring Empowerment in Online Support Communities for People Living With Tic Disorders and Tourette Syndrome: Qualitative Survey Study of User Experiences.

ABSTRACT:

Background

People with tic disorders (TDs)-such as Tourette syndrome-report poorer quality of life compared to non-TD peers, and experience considerable difficulties, including societal stigmatization and barriers to accessing health care and evidence-based interventions. Peer support can help improve psychological outcomes, and online support communities (OSCs) are one way to access psychological support. Empowerment involves improving an individual's cognitive processes to increase their ability to assert control over their health condition. OSCs have been suggested to facilitate empowerment, but this has not yet been investigated in users of OSCs for TDs.

Objective

This study aimed to explore empowerment processes and outcomes present in OSCs as perceived and reported by

SUBMITTER: Ford EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12550454 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature