ABSTRACT
The online depression community (ODC) has become a popular resource for people with depression to manage their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study proposed a novel perspective based on response style theory to investigate whether depression individuals' distractive and ruminative behaviors in ODC were related to social support received and co-rumination. Furthermore, we explored the influences of social support and co-rumination on suicidal behaviors using panel data set. We collected text data from 22,286 depressed users of a large ODC in China from March 2020 to July 2021, and conducted text mining and econometrics analyses to test our research questions. The results showed that depression users' online ruminative behaviors had a positive relationship with the co-rumination and had a negative relationship with social support received. Besides, constructive distractive behaviors (i.e., providing social support to others) increased the support users received from others but had a negative relationship with co-rumination. Depression users' future suicidal behaviors are influenced by past received social support and co-rumination. The received social supports and co-rumination have a negative and positive influence on depression users' future suicidal behaviors, respectively. Our results enrich the application of response style theory in online medicine. They provide meaningful insights into behaviors that influence the acquisition of online social support and the incidence of online co-rumination in ODCs. This study helps relevant institutions to conduct more targeted online suicide interventions for depression patients. © 2022 Elsevier Ltd
ABSTRACT
Purpose>Measuring internal response of online learning is seen as fundamental to absorptive capacity which stimulates knowledge assimilation. However, the evaluation of practice and research of validated instruments that could effectively measure online learning response behavior is limited. Thus, in this study, a new instrument was designed based on literature to determine the structural variables that exist in the online learning response behavior.Design/methodology/approach>A structured survey was designed and distributed to 410 Malaysian students enrolled in higher-education institutions. The questionnaire has 38 items, all of which were scored using a seven-point likert scale. To begin with, exploratory factor analysis with three types of extraction methods (i.e. principal component, principal axis factoring and maximum likelihood) was used as the method for comparing the outcomes of each extraction method's grouping variables by constantly using a varimax rotation method. In the second phase, reliability analysis was performed to determine the reliability level of the grouping variables, and finally, correlation analysis was performed to determine the discriminant nomological validity of the grouping variables.Findings>The findings revealed that nine grouping variables were retrieved, with all items having a good value of factor loading and communalities, as well as an adequate degree of reliability. These extracted variables have good discriminant and nomological validity, as evidenced by correlation analysis, which confirmed that the directions of relationships among the extracted dimensions follow the expected theory (i.e. positive direction) and the correlation coefficient is less than 0.70.Research limitations/implications>This study proposes a comprehensive set of questionnaires that measure the student's online learning response behavior. These questionnaires have been developed on the basis of an extensive literature review and have undergone a rigorous process of validity and reliability for the purpose of enhancing students' online learning response behavior.Originality/value>This study's findings will aid academic practitioners in assessing the online learning response behavior of students, as well as enhancing the questionnaire's boost factor when administered in an online learning environment.