title: Talking with text: communication in therapist-led, live chat cancer support groups.
abstract: CancerChatCanada is a pan-Canadian initiative with a mandate to make professionally led cancer support groups available to more people in Canada. Although online support groups are becoming increasingly popular, little is known about therapist-led, synchronous groups using live chat. The purpose of this study was to generate a rich descriptive account of communication experiences in CancerChatCanada groups and to gain an understanding of processes associated with previously-reported benefits. We used interpretive description to analyze interview segments from 102 patients, survivors and family caregivers who participated in CancerChatCanada groups between 2007 and 2011. The analysis yielded four inter-related process themes (Reaching Out From Home, Feeling Safe, Emotional Release, and Talking With Text) and one outcome theme (Resonance and Kinship). The findings extend previous research about text-only online support groups and provide novel insights into features of facilitated, live chat communication that are valued by group members.
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Patient and Family Counselling Services, 13750 96th Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0C7, Canada. Electronic address: jstephen@bccancer.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.affiliation: Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada. Electronic address: Kate.Collie@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Collie
authors.affiliation: QE II Health Sciences Centre, School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Victoria 11-006, 1278 Tower Rd., Halifax, NS B3H 2Y9, Canada. Electronic address: deborahl.mcleod@cdha.nshealth.ca.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McLeod
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Patient and Family Counselling Services, 13750 96th Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0C7, Canada. Electronic address: ARojubally@bccancer.bc.ca.
authors.forename: Adina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rojubally
authors.affiliation: Sunnybrook Odette Cancer Center, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada. Electronic address: Karen.Fergus@sunnybrook.ca.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fergus
authors.affiliation: Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Department of Psychosocial Resources, Holy Cross Site, Phase I, 2202 - 2nd Street SW, Calgary, AB T2S 3C1, Canada. Electronic address: michael.speca@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Speca
authors.affiliation: Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada. Electronic address: Jill.Turner@albertahealthservices.ca.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Patient and Family Support Services, Cancer Care Manitoba, 675 McDermot Ave, Winnipeg, MB R3E 0V9, Canada. Electronic address: Jill.TaylorBrown@cancercare.mb.ca.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taylor-Brown
authors.affiliation: Supportive Care, Thunderbay Regional Health Sciences Center, 980 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON P7B 6V4, Canada. Electronic address: sellicks@tbh.net.
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sellick
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Patient and Family Counselling Services, 13750 96th Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0C7, Canada. Electronic address: kimberly.burrus@alumni.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Burrus
authors.affiliation: BC Cancer Agency, Patient and Family Counselling Services, 13750 96th Ave, Surrey, BC V3T 0C7, Canada. Electronic address: mai.elramly@mail.utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elramly
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012657:Self-Help Groups / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Canada; Cancer; Communication; Live chat; Online support groups; Therapist led