Cybersolace: technology built on emotion.

With the introduction of "cybersolace" (Klemm, Hurst, Dearholt, & Thorne Trone, 1999), another word has been added to the lexicon of Internet language--a word and concept, which is both immersed in technology and emotion. Cybersolace may be defined as interaction between and among individuals that is focused on offering solace (that is, consolation, caring, emotional support) using various electronic technologies. As an expressive interactive tool for social workers, it is a method that expands the potential for reaching populations hitherto underserved (Cudney & Weinert, 2000). Cybersolace as a tool for health care professionals transcends agency, hospital, or facility. Online offerings of cybersolace come in a variety of forms: generalized social support, practical information, shared experience, helper therapy, empowerment, professional support and advocacy efforts and dedicated support groups (Madara & White, 1997). It is a technology built on emotion and caring. THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL WORK "The Internet (or "the Net") is a vast global network that enables computers of all kinds to share services and correspond directly, as if they were part of one giant machine" (Myrick & Sabella, 1995, p. 38). The Internet offers access to diverse levels of knowledge and information, both educational and practical. Giffords (1998) delineated several areas in social work where the Internet is especially useful: E-mail is the most widely used feature in cyberspace. It allows, through the use of a modern, one computer to talk to another computer in the same way that we can talk on the telephone. Users have an e-mail address and regular correspondence is possible within seconds between computers, between individuals, professionals, companies, colleagues, and so forth. Mailing lists/listservs are sites on the Internet where those with similar interests can have discussions about a specific topic. For those in health care, the lists serve as an arena for professional interchange and debate. The World Wide Web (the Web) is a user-friendly resource for knowledge and information. Within the Web structure are bulletin boards where members can post messages on a specific topic and resource sites, which are used for self-help. Conferences, chats and interrelay chats offer live conversations between users where knowledge is shared and discussed. E-mail and the World Wide Web are the first and foremost applications for communication and information respectively (Pitkow, Kehoe, Sutton, Aggarwal, & Rogers, 1999) Global conferences are regularly held over the Web. Resource procurement is useful for those who need information from sources such as libraries and library databases located worldwide. The Internet is a vast source of knowledge, is a resource for the interchange of ideas, and is fast becoming the main arena where business and professional work is done. For social workers, familiarity with the capacity and utility of the Internet is essential as an adjunct to service and as a tool for accessing information and resources. ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS Social support has been demonstrated to have a positive influence on the experience of dealing with illness (Stewart, 1993). An effective and efficient means of providing and maintaining support is through self-help groups. These groups are based on principles of empowerment, inclusion, joint decision making, shared responsibility, and a holistic approach to the needs of the individual (Finn, 1999). "The use of online self-help and mutual aid groups is an important recent development in providing support to hundreds of thousands of people with a variety of human service-related concerns"(Finn, 1999, p. 221). In terms of dealing with a serious illness, social support has been demonstrated to have a positive influence on the subjective experience of those involved (Cudney & Weinert, 2000). …