This paper presents a study on communal coping processes on Facebook. In interviews (N = 68), participants describe their Facebook behavioral patterns they engaged in when coping once offline and a second time during an online tour through their personal Facebook page. This exploratory study concluded that users prefer to turn to specific Facebook groups in order to cope with a particular stressor. These groups can be small, including only people from their individual network, or larger, comprising several members, which may include unknown contacts. Focusing on communal coping processes in Facebook groups, results of content analyses show four types of communal coping: (1) individual coping (through social support), (2) delegated coping, (3) commerce of resources and (4) crossover of resources. The results indicate how communal coping occurs on Facebook.

Introduction

In July 2018, 2.34 billion people world-wide used Facebook on a regular basis and 1.47 billion users participated in daily activities on Facebook (Facebook, Q2/2018). In summer 2017, Facebook announced that in Germany 32 Million people were registered on Facebook. According to these numbers about 38% of the German population actively engage in this particular virtual environment. The Online Social Network (OSN) Facebook has become an integral part of the lives of many people influencing their engagement in culture and politics and their interaction with family and friends. Researchers world-wide recognize the urgency to explore Facebook’s influence on people’s social life and the consequences for their subjective well-being (Wilson, Gosling, & Graham, 2012). Also stress research needs to adapt to these societal changes and take into account Online Networks in order to determine how Facebook impacts people’s coping and perception of stress. Basically, Facebook offers its users the opportunity to maintain social connections in a virtual social environment. Research has demonstrated that social resources and prosocial behavior are essential parts of coping process (Buchwald, Schwarzer, & Hobfoll, 2004; Hobfoll, 1989; Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Therefore, research is needed to examine how Facebook members integrate the virtual social dimension into their coping processes. The importance of this research field derives from the potential effects that interactions on Facebook may have on the individual. It is necessary to investigate and identify coping dynamics as well as resource loss and gain (Hobfoll, 1998) that may occur in the virtual environment.