Debunking the pathological model--the functions of an Internet discussion group.

In recent years there has been a profusion of resources about Down syndrome available on the World Wide Web and for increasing numbers of people the internet is the resource first contacted when new information is required on a topic. The present paper examined the function of a discussion group which is used primarily by parents of people with Down syndrome. Qualitative research methodology (content analysis) was used to analyse the daily discussions over a 5 month period in 1998 (February to July) and over a 2-week follow up period six months later (January 1999). The analysis revealed themes of celebration, seeing the child before seeing the handicap, hope and optimism, a sense of purpose in life and of being like a family within this group.