Social Media Peer Support Groups for Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: Understanding the Predictors of Negative Experiences

Introduction: As social media platforms become commonplace in daily life, online peer support groups have become an increasingly popular resource for people living with physical and mental health issues. Although the benefits of using online peer support groups have been well documented, there can be also be significant risks associated with groups hosted on social media platforms. People living with obsessive-compulsive related disorders may be particularly vulnerable to negative experiences in such groups. Method: Using a mixed-methods approach, the aim of the current study was to identify the predictors of negative experiences among people who used social media peer support groups for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Results: Results indicated that barriers to treatment and quality of “offline” interpersonal support predicted users’ negative experiences in social media peer support groups for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Thematic analysis suggested that the contributing factors towards participants’ negative experiences included: (1) confronting content; (2) misinformation; (3) preoccupation with symptoms; (4) social comparison; and (5) hopelessness about recovery prospects. Discussion: It was concluded that using social media peer support groups for obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, without adequate support structures in place, can pose users at the risk of negative experiences. Further research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of how to enhance positive experiences and protect against the possible risks for users of unmoderated online peer support groups.