Research shows Online Connections are Lifechanging

13 Aug 2009

Preliminary findings from a pilot study* conducted by Murdoch University have challenged existing pre-conceptions of how young Australians use and engage with technology.

The research, conducted by Dr Amanda Third and Dr Ingrid Richardson from Murdoch University’s Centre for Everyday Life (CEL), argues that face-to-face engagement is not always the most effective form of communication to support young people's wellbeing, and that, in fact, online technologies can better enable young Australians to feel socially connected, with a sense of belonging.

The study shows that for young Australians living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability, access to online content, blogs and the ability to meet new friends via online chat and social networking can help form strong friendships that, in most cases, are more important than their friendships offline. 

Said Dr Third, "We conducted the study to evaluate the effectiveness of Livewire, a new online community for children and young people living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability, to hang out, connect, share experiences and creatively express themselves."

"What we found was that despite the fact these young Australians have never met each other and do not know each other in the real world, their online friendships are central to their wellbeing and the fact that they have each other is a really important part of their daily life. In every instance, their online friendships are more important than their offline friendships," she commented.

Dr Third said that limited research had been done on how young people living with a life impacting illness or disability use media and communications technologies, making these findings groundbreaking.

"The Livewire community is a place where their illness or disability is accepted by all participants and therefore these young people can achieve a sense of normalcy. Livewire, and in particular the chat room, is a space in which these young people are helping each other to make important life decisions," she concluded.

The Murdoch research shows that Livewire users feel that the safe moderated environment allows them to be themselves, because they don’t have to worry about cyber-safety, being bullied or targeted by 'predators' online.   Because the site has strict sign-up procedures, members feel they are not prejudiced against because of their disability or illness.

Dr Third and Dr Richardson have also discovered that young Australians living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability are more likely to be attached to their laptop computer than their mobile phone, and do not share the same obsession with phones as their healthy teenager counterparts.

"When we asked the Livewire members what they would take to a deserted island a lot of them said their laptop computer,"” she commented. "This is because mobile phones are generally considered essential for young Australians who are mobile and can get out and about, but many of the Livewire members are either hospitalised or housebound." 

Drs. Third and Richardson are now starting the third and final stage of the study, which will involve spending time with Livewire participants in their own homes, where they can observe how individual users engage with their technologies on a day-to-day basis.

Livewire Managing Director, Omar Khalifa, said that the Murdoch research confirmed much of the anecdotal evidence that Livewire's trained moderators see within the chat rooms on a day to day basis, as members try to support one another to cope with their individual situations. 

"The research has shown that by combining the latest in online community tools with a safe and secure chat facility, we've created a fun place for Livewire members to hang out, share experiences, support one another and at the same time, make strong friendships," Mr Khalifa said.

Any young Australian aged over 10 and under 21, currently living with a serious illness, chronic health condition or disability who wishes to join Livewire or find out more information should visit www.livewire.org.au or contact member.services@livewire.org.au.

* Research was conducted nationwide with members of Livewire, between January – June 2009. Methods included online surveys and focus groups.

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