Conflict resolution in online mental health support groups The role of empathy and informal mediation Carolina Figueras Bates University of Barcelona The literature on online mental health support groups usually stresses the harmonious side of users’ interactions. However, differences regarding the experience of the illness might escalate into social conflict. The aim of this study is to explore acts of conflict resolution in an online Spanish mental health forum for recovery from an eating disorder (ED). Focusing on a specific long dispute between one regular contributor and several other members, I perform a micro-analysis of the discursive moves deployed in this polylogue by those who act as informal mediators to mitigate negative emotions, to rephrase participants’ perspectives and to promote relational empathy within the group. The goal of mediation in the forum is to reinstate the social order of acceptable recovery practices and discourses. Keywords: online forums, emotional support, empathy, conflict, informal mediation, eating disorders, recovery 1. Introduction Since the advent of the Internet, computer-mediated peer-to-peer support groups for a variety of health issues have been proliferating. These virtual communities offer their users a platform for legitimacy and recognition, as well as a social net- work for sharing knowledge and experience (McCormack and Coulson 2009). Online health groups may vary regarding degrees of professional assistance, norms, and ideology, but they all embrace the needs of the self-help movement: promote empowerment, facilitate peer support, and exchange experiential knowl- edge (Kummervold et al. 2002). Online forums have a long history, and although at present they are not as popular as they were ten years ago, they are still frequently visited and regularly consulted by individuals with a variety of different mental health conditions (see https://doi.org/10.1075/ld.00171.fig | Published online: 13 June 2024 Language and Dialogue ISSN 2210-4119 | E‑ISSN 2210-4127 © John Benjamins Publishing Company