Cultural Issues and Online SupportA

Cultural Issues and Online Support
As computer and electronic technology connect people residing inthe vast majority of countries and in remote regions, the world increasinglybecomes a "global village" instead ofmany disparate communities (Cogan,1996). Contact with people from other countries and cultures fostersapluralistic society of racial, religious, ethnic, cultural, and linguisticbackgrounds (Brill, 1995; Mehr, 1998; Gladding, 1997; McFadden&Jencius, 2000). As participants support each other worldwide,they canlearn from the diversity of perspectives offered by other participants.Examples of multilingual supportgroups, self-help groups, and web sitesare illustrated in Table 3. The exposure to diverse cultural valuesencouragesthe "trying on" of other cultural perspectives andcreates the potential toalter one's stereotypes, prejudices, and ethnocentric views (Bowman&Bowman, 1998; Chan, 1999). The diversity highlights the fact thatthecultural perspective and value system espoused in European-American/North American/Western society is justone of many value systems andperspectives worldwide (Mehr, 1998). Such insightcan promote creativeproblem solving for participants whomay feel vulnerable, isolated, ormisunderstood.
In the global village, incidents thatwere once considered localcommunity dramas are now witnessed by people in otherparts of the worldthrough global news coverage. Tragic eventsor natural disasters such asthe terrorist attacks of September llth in the United States in 2001; the fatalfloods in Mozambique in 2000; explosion of the Russian submarine in theBarents Sea in 2000; fatal school shootings at Columbine High Schoolin Littleton, Colorado in 1999; bombings of the American EmbassiesinKenya and Tanzania in 1998; and the death of Princess Diana in 1997demonstrate this point.Such traumatic incidents producea range ofemotional reactions from anger to anxiety, depression, and fear inpeopleworldwide based on their cultural perspective and worldview (Swartz-Kulstad & Martin, 1999). Their reactions, in turn, influence thetype ofsupport that they seek or give through online support groups, especially iflocal or onsite support is limited or non-existent (Kimwell & Heaps, 1999;Walker, 1999).

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Masalah-masalah kultural dan dukungan OnlineSeperti komputer dan teknologi elektronik menghubungkan orang-orang yang tinggal di sebagian besar negara dan di daerah terpencil, increasinglybecomes dunia "global village" sebaliknya ofmany berbeda masyarakat (Cogan, 1996). Kontak dengan orang-orang dari negara-negara lain dan budaya masyarakat fostersapluralistic ras, agama, etnis, budaya, dan linguisticbackgrounds (Brill, 1995; Mehr, 1998; Gladding, 1997; McFadden & Jencius, 2000). Sebagai peserta saling mendukung di seluruh dunia, mereka canlearn dari keragaman perspektif ditawarkan oleh peserta lain. Contoh supportgroups multibahasa, kelompok self-help dan sitesare web yang digambarkan dalam tabel 3. Paparan beragam budaya valuesencouragesthe "mencoba" perspektif budaya andcreates stereotip toalter salah satu potensi lain, prasangka, dan Serikat etnosentris pemandangan (Bowman & Bowman, 1998; Chan, 1999). Keragaman menyoroti fakta thatthecultural perspektif dan sistem nilai yang didukung dalam masyarakat Eropa-Amerika/Utara Amerika/Barat adalah justone dari banyak nilai sistem andperspectives di seluruh dunia (Mehr, 1998). Insightcan seperti itu mempromosikan creativeproblem pemecahan untuk peserta whomay merasa rentan, terisolasi, ormisunderstood.Di desa global, insiden thatwere pernah dianggap localcommunity drama sekarang disaksikan oleh orang-orang di otherparts dari liputan berita global worldthrough. Eventsor tragis bencana alam seperti serangan teroris llth September di Amerika Serikat pada tahun 2001; fatalfloods di Mozambik pada tahun 2000; ledakan kapal selam Rusia di laut theBarents pada tahun 2000; penembakan fatal sekolah di Columbine High Schoolin Littleton, Colorado pada tahun 1999; Pengeboman EmbassiesinKenya Amerika dan Tanzania di 1998; dan kematian putri Diana di 1997demonstrate saat ini. Producea peristiwa traumatis seperti rentang ofemotional reaksi dari kemarahan terhadap kecemasan, depresi, dan takut inpeopleworldwide berdasarkan perspektif budaya dan pandangan dunia (Swartz-Kulstad & Martin, 1999). Reaksi mereka, pada gilirannya, mempengaruhi ofsupport thetype yang mereka mencari atau memberikan melalui kelompok-kelompok dukungan online, terutama iflocal atau onsite dukungan terbatas atau tidak ada (Kimwell & tumpukan, 1999; Walker, 1999).