@NEWORLD: A VIRTUAL COMMUNITY FOR KIDS WITH CANCER

描述：患有癌症的儿童在努力应对自己的病情时，面临着无数的心理社会挑战。互联网的固有特性--在媒体丰富的环境中的连通性和互动性--使其成为应对这些挑战的一个有前途的工具。全面和科学地了解互联网技术的影响，是确定其作为干预儿科保健的作用的关键。我们建议开发一种基于互联网的干预措施，通过在鼓励沟通、教育和自我表达的环境中提供与同龄人社区的联系，帮助儿童处理孤立、恐惧、焦虑和自尊下降的问题。我们将通过研究项目在缓解孤独、焦虑和压力方面的效果来评估干预措施。此外，我们将通过评估对自尊、应对行为和对健康命运的控制感的影响来检验干预作为沟通和社会化工具的价值。我们的目标是让孩子在诊断和治疗期间与学校保持联系，并将孩子与经历类似疾病挑战的同龄人社区联系起来。通过这种方式，我们将利用互联网作为我们所称的“社会计算”的基础，将技术和社会需求结合在一起。

DESCRIPTION: Children with cancer face myriad psychosocial challenges as they try to cope with their condition. The inherent qualities of the Internet-connectivity and interactivity in a media-rich environment-make it a promising tool for addressing these challenges. A comprehensive and scientific understanding of the impact of Internet technology is key to defining its role as an intervention in pediatric healthcare. We propose to develop an Internet-based intervention to help children deal with issues of isolation, fear, anxiety, and decreased self-esteem by providing access to a community of peers in an environment that encourages communication, education, and self-expression. We will evaluate the intervention by studying program effects in alleviating loneliness, anxiety, and stress. In addition, we will examine the value of the intervention as a communication and socialization tool by assessing effects on self-esteem, coping behaviors, and feelings of control over health destiny. Our goal is to keep the child connected to the school during diagnosis and treatment, and to connect the child with a community of peers who are experiencing similar challenges related to illness. In this way, we will use the Internet as the basis for what we call "social computing" in an integration of technology and social need.