A quantitative study of social identity, social support and perceived stress in online support groups for family caregivers

Online support groups (OSGs) may help reduce family caregiver stress, but the psychosocial pathways remain unclear. Using social identity theory, this study examined the relationships between social identity, social support and perceived stress. It was hypothesised that non-OSG members would report lower social support and higher stress than OSG members, with social support mediating the relationship between social identity and stress. A cross-sectional online survey (N = 136) assessed social support, social identity and perceived stress. No significant differences in social support or stress were found between OSG (n = 78) and non-OSG members (n = 58), though OSG members identified more strongly as caregivers (p < 0.001). Higher social identity correlated with greater social support but not lower stress. Mediation analysis showed social support indirectly linked social identity to reduced stress. Findings highlight the role of social identity in OSGs and its potential for improving caregiver well-being.