Web-Based Forums for People Experiencing Substance Use or Gambling Disorders: Scoping Review
Annette Peart, Freya Horn, Rachel Petukhova, Anthony Barnett, Dan I Lubman

TL;DR
This study reviews how people with substance use or gambling disorders use online forums to find support, highlighting who participates, how they engage, and the principles behind these platforms.
Contribution
The study provides a comprehensive scoping review of web-based peer support forums for addiction, focusing on user characteristics, participation, and underlying principles.
Findings
Most forums were aimed at or used by people with alcohol problems.
Participants were typically women aged 40 to early 50.
Forums are based on mutual help and recovery identity formation.
Abstract
For people experiencing substance use or gambling disorders, web-based peer-supported forums are a space where they can share their experiences, gather around a collective goal, and find mutual support. Web-based peer support can help to overcome barriers to attending face-to-face meetings by enabling people experiencing addiction to seek support beyond their physical location and with the benefit of anonymity if desired. Understanding who participates in web-based peer-supported forums (and how), and the principles underpinning forums, can also assist those interested in designing or implementing similar platforms. This study aims to review the literature on how people experiencing substance use or gambling disorders, and their family, friends, and supporters, use and participate in web-based peer-supported forums. Specifically, we asked the following research questions: (1) What are…
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Taxonomy
TopicsGambling Behavior and Treatments · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes · Homelessness and Social Issues
