In China, support groups are rare and have the potential to become a more commonplace resource for people in need. The Xin Foundation, a non-governmental non-profit organization in Hangzhou, is interested in how the United States’ approach to online support groups could be actualized in China. This report explores the success of support groups in the U.S., how they have been adapted to online environments, and how they can be transformed to fit China’s cultural landscape. By conducting interviews, surveys, feature analysis, and user observation, we discovered new ways to innovate online support groups in China. We conclude this report with a list of recommendations for future online support group platforms and a series of mockups for a platform in China.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Olson, Noah V.
• Neidig, Lonna Y.
• Coughlin, Devin J.
• Klingensmith, Nathaniel J.

Subject

• Health
• Community
• Well-Being

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• E-project-121720-131042
• 5256

Keyword

• support group platform
• peer support group
• support group
• china
• online support group
• mutual support group

Advisor

• Pu, Hansong
• Sarkis, Joseph

Year

• 2020

Center

• Hangzhou, China Project Center - IQP

Sponsor

• Zhejiang Xin Foundation (Hangzhou, China)

UN Sustainable Development Goals

• 3 - Good Health and Well-being

Date created

• 2020-12-17

Resource type

• Interactive Qualifying Project

Rights statement

• In Copyright

License

• All rights reserved