Objective: Opportunities for
communicating online have opened a new domain of social support. This facility
might prove particularly beneficial for members of minority groups; especially
those who have difficulty accessing traditional support. The present study
examines the relationships of offline and online support to depression levels
in a sample of gay males.
Method: A cross-sectional design
was employed, involving data from 124 participants.
Results: Controlling for
personality, self-esteem, stress and outness, both online and offline support
were unique contributors to the model of depression. There was a three-way
stress*offline support*outness interaction, such that those who were more out
benefited from offline support in times of stress.
Conclusion: Online support is
associated with lower depression in gay males, over and above the effect of
offline support. Gay males who are less out do not gain more from online
support; they do, however, gain less from offline support in times of stress.