It's a little known fact that I occasionally read research journals for fun.
No really-I do.
I no longer have coursework to blame for my online reading of newly published research so I've decided to come out into the open with my habit. And what better time than with the release of an entirely USEFUL study which I found more interesting to us than the vast majority of what's in mainstream mags.
In the April 2008 volume of Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, Susan Miller published the results of her study that sought to answer this question: Does the type and frequency of Internet use make people with spinal cord injuries feel like they have more social support? Does how much or what type of online activity have an impact on the well-being of people with disabilities?
Before launching into the results of this study, I was surprised to learn that previous research has found people with disabilities are much LESS likely to use the Internet compared to able-bodied people. BUT-when and if we can get our paws on a computer, we're likely to use it TWICE as often as people without disabilities. On average, we spend 20 hours a week on the computer while AB's spend around 10. These numbers seemed reasonable to me. I'm online more than any of the able-bodied members of my immediate family and most of my real-
world friends. Then again, I work online-and they don't- so I'm not sure if I count!
What most people don't know about scientific studies is that it takes what's called a significant relationship for the results to even really matter. The vast majority of studies don't find a significant relationship-just because there are so many factors that can mess everything up...or maybe the two things (like Internet and feeling good) really aren't related.
This study did NOT find any significant relationship over the overall FREQUENCY of Internet use. So the more a person used the Internet didn't really change how good they felt or whether or not they felt like they were supported from others. The study did, however find that the TYPE of Internet use did seem to make a positive difference in the lives of people with spinal cord injuries. Online gaming didn't have a good effect on feeling good, but creating and updating a webpage, like a blog (hint..hint), did!
[Photo caption: Several hands are shown perched on a number of keyboards in a row. It's a cropped picture of a busy computer lab.]
What might be most interesting to Disaboomers is the finding that participating in forums improved a sense of well-being and social support. In addition to online gaming, the only other negative online activity identified was searching for disability-related information. This is one of those activities that's hard to define. I can see how it might be depressing to just search for hours on WebMD or google, but what about if you do it in a more social way-like by posting questions here?
To me, this study made sense. I think the Internet CAN be an empowering tool for people with disabilities-but it just depends HOW you use it. Nothing can replace real face-to-face support from people, but the fact is very few of the people I see every day truly understand most aspects of my life. For me to feel fully supported-it helps me to come to places like Disaboom.
And now I can in peace...backed up by research of course!
[Cartoon caption: A family of a mother, father, and son are pictured at the dinner table. The caption reads, "Well, yes, we could read your blog...or you could just tell us about your school day."]
[If you want to read the study for your self, here's the reference: Miller, S.M. (2008). The effect of frequency and type of Internet use on perceived social support and sense of well-being in individuals with spinal cord injuries, Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, 51, 148-158]
