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This article reports a meta-analysis of 28 studies examining the health-related outcomes associated with participation in a formal computer-mediated support group (CMSG) intervention. In particular, health outcomes related to social support were assessed and four group-level characteristics of CMSGs were tested as potential moderators of intervention effectiveness. The results show that participating in a CMSG intervention—comprised of educational and group communication components—led to increased social support, decreased depression, increased quality of life, and increased self-efficacy to manage one's health condition. Changes in health outcomes were moderated by group size, the nature of the communication channels available, and the duration of the CMSG intervention.
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Rains et al. (2009) studied this question.
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