Our research seeks to better understand how adults use online forums (e.g., social media) to get support for alcohol-related problems.
We will host “focus group” discussions via the Zoom video platform and use a Mural virtual whiteboard for sharing ideas. Each focus group will last about 2 hours and include up-to 12 US residents who are aged 21+ and have used online forums to get support for alcohol-related problems. We will have separate groups for people who have prior experience with in-person recovery support (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous) and people who do not. We will ask about your experiences using online forums, including different types of social support you might give in different situations. We will ask you to role-play scenarios and provide feedback about the types of social support that you might provide. This information will help us develop resources and assessments related to this type of online forum use.
Data Privacy/Confidentiality: We will discuss topics that you might consider private (e.g., personal events related to times you used online forums). We ask you to only share information that your are comfortable with, and only as it relates to the topics we are discussing. Your identity will be kept private unless you or someone around you appears to be in danger. If you indicate that you might hurt yourself or others, it may be necessary for us to notify the appropriate individuals or agencies. Research study records, including records with your identity, may be reviewed by authorized representatives of the University of Pittsburgh Office of Research Protections as well as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) for the purpose of monitoring the conduct of this study.
We are looking for eligible people who have used online forums to discuss alcohol problems. Participants will be receive a $50 debit card after attending the group discussion. If you are interested, click the link below to fill out a quick eligibility survey and take the next steps to become a participant in our study. This survey is to assess your eligibility and collect your availability so that we can follow up when groups are being scheduled.
https://redcap-std.hs.pitt.edu/redcap/surveys/?s=XL7W8XHJR7XY8CPC