Online support groups are considered highly valuable in addition to traditional health care services, but we know very little about how people actually join such a group. This book offers a microanalysis of an online support group on eating disorders, specifically the communication through textual messages between newcomers and regular members and members’ nicknames. The study uses an ethnomethodological and conversation analytical approach to show that members of online support groups treat the group as a community in which their illness-identity is highly relevant. It appears that members invoke community norms regarding legitimacy for newcomers: Newcomers are expected to admit that they are ill, but this is a very difficult step for those who have not yet fully adopted the “sick role” (Parsons, 1951). In the field of eating disorders, it is particularly difficult for people that tend to pro-ana, i.e. the glamorization of eating disorders. The insecurity and anxiety that newcomers display as they enter the online group could probably be relieved when a special entry subforum would be installed in which they can take time and space to actually recognize that they are ill.

Table of contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Part I: An ethnomethodological approach to community, identity and eating disorders Chapter 1: The online support group as a community Chapter 2: Identity in a community Chapter 3: Accomplishing identity in an online community on eating disorders

Part II: Discourse analysis Chapter 4: Research design: The forum, ethics, data and method Chapter 5: Identity accomplished through nicknames Chapter 6: Opening the first posting: Ambivalence towards the community Chapter 7: Displaying forumability in the online community Chapter 8: The main requirement of forumability: Recognition

Part III: Interpretation and conclusion Chapter 9: Entering the online support group and adopting the sick role Chapter 10: Conclusions and discussion

Part IV: References and appendix References Appendix