Internetowe wsparcie społeczne

New media are the tools that support human’s intellectual functioning. For many people with disabilities they may become the sole opportunity for accessing information, communicating, learning or working. On the other hand, new media also provide a space for social interactions that could affect the process of coping with critical events, both ordinary and traumatic ones. The key concept for the discussion is internet-based social support, defined as support available online to a person dealing with a critical event which needs to be overcome with external resources coming from virtual groups comprising people experiencing difficulties of a similar nature, in the past or currently. The author posed the question whether internet social support is ubiquitous, and what it manifests itself. To answer this, she conducted quantitative and qualitative research. The data collected then became thebasis for analysis and theoretical considerations.