A Cross-Sectional Study Utilizing Online Support Communities for Tic Disorders: the Association between Participation Duration and Quality of Life in Children with Tic Disorders and Their Caregivers
摘要
This study aims to investigate the utilization of online support communities by caregivers of children with Tic disorders (TD) and explore its relationship with children's quality of life, anxiety levels, and caregivers’ quality of life. In this cross-sectional study, 330 TD children and their caregivers from the TD online support communities were included. They filled out general information questionnaires, self-assessment scales for quality of life and anxiety, tic severity scales, and answered several open-ended questions. Open-ended questions were used to explore caregivers’ experiences with online support communities through qualitative analysis. Statistical analyses included univariate analysis, multifactorial regression, and Spearman correlation to examine the relationship between participation time and quality of life, anxiety. In qualitative analysis, three themes document the experience of using TD online support community. In the correlation analysis, there is a significant positive correlation between participation time and caregiver quality of life. Similarly, the longer the participation time, the higher the quality of life and lower the anxiety level of TD children. We also found that frequent access to online support communities can reduce anxiety and depression among caregivers. Higher per capita monthly household income and the education level of caregivers can improve the quality of life of TD children and caregivers, reducing anxiety and depression. Conclusion: Online support communities play a significant role in improving the quality of life of TD children and their caregivers, reducing anxiety, and providing valuable emotional and informational support.