Peer-led online depression support groups: Potentially healthy and unhealthy associated behaviors

Introduction: Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many individuals have turned to peer-led online depression support groups (DSGs) to cope with depressive symptoms. However, relatively little research has articulated how use of DSGs may relate to specific behaviors associated with depression. This study assessed healthy behaviors (healthy support-seeking, healthy normalization, problem-solving) and unhealthy behaviors (unhealthy support-seeking, adverse normalization, co-rumination) associated with the use of peer-led DSGs. Method: Participants (N = 525) were recruited through the Qualtrics platform, and measures of depressive symptoms, self-reported social media use, DSG use, and healthy/unhealthy DSG behaviors were administered online. Path analysis estimated the relations of DSG use to each of the six behaviors. Results: Results showed that all six DSG behaviors were positively associated with DSG use (ps < .001). Standardized coefficients ranged from 0.18 to 0.49 for healthy outcomes and from 0.28 to 0.36 for the unhealthy outcomes. Greater use of DSGs was associated with higher levels of all healthy and unhealthy behaviors. Education level moderated the relation of DSG use to the three unhealthy behaviors, with higher education leading to stronger relations between DSG use and all three unhealthy behaviors. Discussion: These findings suggest that DSGs may be associated with both healthy and unhealthy effects on their users.