Table 5 Theme 2: Building peer and therapeutic relationships
Categories | Codes | Substantiating verbatim quote | |
|---|---|---|---|
THEME 2: Building peer and therapeutic relationships | Shared experience Group cohesion Collaborative peer relationships | Support Understanding Validation Accountability Responsibility | We could really talk to each other openly and ask advice. We encouraged and strengthened each other. Our biggest role was to support each other. We did not know each other personally, but we understood each other. Gr2_P1 We can relate to each other. It is nice to talk to someone that has the same problems that you are having. Because sometimes you speak to the doctor, they don’t really understand and some of them can be like oh, I’m exaggerating and stuff like that. Gr2_P5 Because if we spoke about how we felt at home nobody would really understand because nobody has chronic pain but, in the group, we had everybody else experiencing chronic pain and he gave us the platform to share that with each other. So, I think it was that platform that was vital for me. Gr1_P4 Because you want to participate in the group, you don’t want to be the odd one out and say I can’t do it. So, you have to at least try to do it. Gr2_P1 |
Relating in the online environment | Feeling connected Real-time interaction Therapeutic relationship | I think it was better that way because I’m a very shy person when it comes to face-to-face and I think on the WhatsApp group it was much better because you can see that person, but you are not there exactly Gr2_P5 The face time was what made it. And his preparation is what made it. It was always on key, on point, always ready. There was never a dull moment. We cried on the group, we laughed on the group, we shared on the group. Gr1_P3 He (the facilitator) listens. He makes you feel like a person, he understands you, he has patience, he makes the time to help you understand if you don’t understand and he will agree to disagree with you if need be. Gr1_P3 (The facilitators) played a huge role in our mindsets. We owe the thanks to them for the way they facilitated the program. Not only as a facilitator but also as somebody that understood what we were going through, somebody that was there to offer support and guidance. Gr1_P4 | |
The need for personal contact | In-person session | If it is in any way possible to do an actual session where people are together, so maybe if you are say for instance 5 in the group with your facilitator. You don’t have to physically touch but I feel that the experience would be different if you actually had that physical interaction with people. If it’s not an inconvenience for them to travel. The home thing was quite convenient but in my case, I would actually have preferred the physical interaction a bit more | |
The impact of non-completers | Abandonment Disruption Commitment Availability | I felt like why do you make yourself available to participate and then not, because I’m the type of person and I just have a mindset where I promised I’m going to do this and I’m still doing it. Even though sometimes I do neglect doing some stuff, but you don’t start something and just leave it halfway because how do you know it’s going to help for you if you don’t finish it Gr2_P5 And our first sessions, the first couple of attempts was a disaster because people were then available, then they were not available, when we started there wasn’t enough people, so it started touch and go. I felt, I literally they were going to cancel it because the people were not pitching and then eventually it started, Gr3_P6 |