Smith, C. Estelle, et al. "What is Spiritual Support and How Might It Impact the Design of Online Communities?." Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction 5.CSCW1 (2021): 1-42.

This study explores the concept of spiritual support within Online Health Communities (OHCs), emphasizing its critical role for users dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Through focus groups in the US, a definition of spiritual support is developed, highlighting its foundational presence in various forms of social support. The research identifies challenges when spiritual values conflict online and offers design implications for OHCs to facilitate spiritual support, including the representation of spiritual beliefs, supportive communication tools, visualization of support networks, and resources for advance care planning and digital legacy.