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Emotion, Social Support, and Social Comparison in Online Mommy Platforms: A Content Analysis

Sat, May 27, 8:00 to 9:15, Hilton San Diego Bayfront, Floor: 2, Indigo Ballroom D

Abstract

Social networking sites, blogs, and online forums are attractive sources for parents, and particularly mothers, seeking information, social support, and confirmation for parenting choices. Building on literature that explores the functionality of online spaces for support and the potential for social comparison that these spaces present, a content analysis of 984 posts and 1730 associated comments selected from a 6-month span of Facebook mom groups, online parenting forums, and popular mommy blogs identified the frequency and type of support (instrumental, informational, emotional) and comparative content (judgmental, validating, neutral) shared on these sites. Given that emotions are often connected to parenting experiences, this content analysis also examined dominant expressed emotions. Coding revealed that emotions were communicated in more than half of posts and more than a third of comments, with joy being the most prevalent emotion in both, but, overall, posts on all three platforms were more negatively than positively valenced.

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