My dissertation, The Therapeutic Value of Virtual Self-help Groups, has been sent for peer review for possible publication and is no longer published on this site. If you would like a copy (as a  .pdf file) emailed to you, email me at  stormpsych@charter.net with the subject "dissertation request." 

Abstract

This dissertation reports on a survey of research into the perceived value of participation in online self-help groups. When human subjects are recruited over the Internet to participate in research protocols, new and unique ethical issue are involved. The ethical use of human subjects in online research is described. The psychology of text-based relationships is delineated. A survey questionnaire, that partially replicated questions from three previous surveys of online self-help groups, was implemented to reliably determine how online self-help group members perceive the therapeutic benefit they receive. These groups were found to be therapeutic for the reasons predicted by theory, past research and what is known from studies of face-to-face self-help groups. The unique disadvantages of these groups is explained.