Emotional Disclosures and Reciprocal Support over the Largest Parenting Forum on Reddit: Using Data Mining to Examine the Effect of Account Type and Anonymity on Supportive Communication (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Supreet Mann ◽  
Michael C Carter
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Interpersonal Processes ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Parenting Support ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Way

BACKGROUND Online support forums allow users to seek advice, information, and emotional support on a variety of issues. Today’s parents navigate unique stressors both off- and on-line, and online forums can provide parents with the social support they need to address contemporary parenting issues. Increased social support can have a positive effect on mental health, including decreasing depressive symptomatology and acting as a buffer to stress. Online support forums may provide parents with increased anonymity to discuss sensitive topics and may provide minority parents with a larger social network for advice seeking. It is, therefore, critical that we examine online support forums to better understand the role that social support might play in these spaces and the way parent posts may influence response. OBJECTIVE Research examining social support processes in parenting forums is lacking. This study examines the interpersonal support process within the largest Reddit parenting forum, r/Parenting, to understand how anonymity plays a role in emotional self-disclosure of the parent-poster and subsequent commenter support. METHODS Comments and posts made to r/Parenting were collected using Reddit’s API in February of 2020 with a final sample of 118,277 posts and 697,095 comments. RESULTS Results suggest the use of throwaway accounts is an important factor in the way emotional self-disclosure occurs both in posts and comments. Our data evidenced that in an online forum for parents to seek advice, information, and support, the use of throwaway accounts was found to be an important factor in the degree of ESD included in both posts and comments. Additionally, there was a direct and positive relationship between the ESD of posts and ESD of comments. CONCLUSIONS This suggests that in contemporary society, online spaces may offer parents increased anonymity and greater affordances when it comes to connecting with others, and thus operate as critical venues for social support. We evidenced that one feature that affords users with a greater degree of anonymity online (i.e., pseudonyms) serve as critical component in online support seeking among parents, impacting both the process of support seeking and reception of social support over one of the most popular parenting support forums online, r/Parenting. This signals an evolution in the way’s parents seek social support from others. This paves the way for further research examining interpersonal processes and the impact online support has on family communication through parent support.

scholarly journals Exploring women’s perceptions of pain when breastfeeding using online forums

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Line Caes ◽  
Katie Abbott ◽  
Sinéad Currie
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Knowledge Exchange ◽  
Breastfeeding Duration ◽  
Online Forums ◽  
Women’S Perceptions ◽  
Breastfeeding Cessation ◽  
Pain Experiences ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Despite numerous benefits, many mothers stop breastfeeding soon after birth. A common reason for this is the experience of pain or discomfort. One resource which women use to share their breastfeeding challenges and seek support are online forums. This study aimed to collect data from online forums to explore 1) usage of forums as social support for breastfeeding-related pain; 2) experiences of breastfeeding-related pain; 3) perceptions and strategies to deal with breastfeeding-related pain; and 4) the impact of pain on breastfeeding duration. Methods Data was gathered through searches of online forums based in the UK and USA: Netmums, What to Expect and Mumsnet using key terms: ‘painful breastfeeding’ and ‘sore breastfeeding’. Data extraction took place in July 2018 and included posts made between 2012 and 2018. Data included 123 posts and 193 replies, analysed using thematic analysis. Results The first theme identified was ‘variation in types of pain’, highlighting the variety of painful experiences and their descriptions. In particular, this theme reveals the large variety of different types of pain women experience at different stages throughout their breastfeeding journey, as well as the different pain characteristic they focus on in the description of their experience (i.e., location, sensory or physical aspects). Secondly, the theme ‘perceived causes and explanations for pain’ revealed how women interpret pain experiences either due to a recognised condition or behavioural cause. The third theme ‘cessation of breastfeeding related to pain’ identified. How women experience both physical and psychological struggles (e.g., guilt) related to breastfeeding cessation, with pain being a main factor in considering cessation of breastfeeding. Finally, the theme ‘shared experiences and support’ identified women’s strong need for both practical and emotional support to deal with pain. Many women look for this support through the knowledge exchange offered on the online forums. Conclusions Pain was a key reason for breastfeeding cessation, commonly associated with strong feelings of guilt. The online forums provide a unique form of social support for breastfeeding women to find ways to cope with the pain, while highlighting the urgent need for more appropriate antenatal education on realistic expectation surrounding breastfeeding.

Are Neighbors and Neighborhoods Still Important? Examining the Impact of Neighbors and Neighborhood Environments on Mothers’ Parenting Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-343
Author(s):  
Soyoung Lee ◽  
Meejung Chin ◽  
Miai Sung
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Parenting Stress ◽  
First Grade ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Neighborhood Environment ◽  
Parenting Support ◽  
Residential Neighborhood ◽  
Neighborhood Environments ◽  
Process Context ◽  
The Impact

The contemporary neighborhood literature discusses the complex relationships among neighborhood environments, social support, and parenting. Grounded in the Person-Process-Context-Time (PPCT) model, we examined how different sources of social support interact with Korean mothers’ perception of disorder in their neighborhoods, and if social support increases or decreases their parenting stress in rural and metropolitan areas. Using STATA 14.0, we conducted multiple regression modeling including tests for interaction effects. Our sample (from the 8th Wave PSKC) included 1,300 mothers of seven-year-old children who were transitioning to first grade. The results showed that for metropolitan mothers, support from neighbors was important. Interestingly, receiving social support from friends/colleagues could increase or reduce their parenting stress depending on the type of residential neighborhood. Both rural and metropolitan mothers who reported negative impressions of their neighborhood environment experienced more parenting stress. However, these relationships disappeared when controlling for the interactions between mothers’ perception of disorder in their neighborhood and social support. These findings suggest that the social support that mothers receive from neighbors, and friends/colleagues, in general, play an important role in relieving parenting stress when raising first graders. However, living in disorganized, unsafe, or stressful neighborhood environments may restrict mothers’ parenting choices due to anxiety and limited outdoor space, resulting in increased parenting stress. Therefore, careful consideration of neighborhood characteristics is required to develop community-based parenting support services as part of family-friendly policies to effectively reduce the burden of parenting school-aged children in Korea.

scholarly journals What You Say Is What You Get: How Self-Disclosure in Support Seeking Affects Language Use in Support Provision in Online Support Forums

2017 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenjing Pan ◽  
Bo Feng ◽  
V. Skye Wingate
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Language Use ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
Competing Hypotheses

This experimental study examined how depth of self-disclosure (baseline, peripheral, core) in support-seeking posts influenced forum viewers’ interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in their responses. A series of competing hypotheses derived from several theoretical frameworks were tested. Results obtained from computerized text analyses showed that self-concept self-disclosure was associated with higher levels of interaction involvement and reciprocal self-disclosure in viewers’ response messages. Implications of the findings and directions for future research are discussed.

The impact of social support networks on mental and physical health in the transition to older adulthood

2012 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine L. Fiori ◽  
Justin Jager
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Support Networks ◽  
Social Support Networks ◽  
Older Adulthood ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Social support is a multidimensional construct that consists of the type of support, the direction of support, the sources or targets of support, and whether support is actual or potential. We used latent class analysis to uncover network types based on these dimensions and to examine the association between network types and well-being among 6,824 adults ( M age = 54 at T1) in the two most recent waves (1992–1993 and 2003–2005) of the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study. We found six classes of social support networks. Class membership at T1 significantly predicted changes in depressive symptomatology and self-rated health over time. Our findings are discussed in light of the utility of a pattern-centered approach for uncovering heterogeneity in the social networks of adults.

The Influence of Self-Disclosure in Online Support Seeking on Quality of Received Advice

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 397-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Skye Wingate ◽  
Bo Feng ◽  
Chelsea Kim ◽  
Wenjing Pan ◽  
JooYoung Jang
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Support ◽  
Self Concept ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Support ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Support Provision ◽  
Support Seeking ◽  
Advice Quality

Advice of varying quality can be provided to support seekers online. This study examined whether the type of self-disclosure (demographic vs. self-concept) included in a support-seeking post elicits varying levels of advice quality in support provision. Participants ( N = 624) read and responded to an online support-seeking post. Their advice messages were assessed for quality as indexed by the use of reasoning and the sequencing of advice relative to other elements of supportive interactions (emotional support and problem inquiry and analysis). Overall, results suggested that most advice messages were behavior-oriented and did not contain reasoning or additional supportive acts. The type of self-disclosure did not affect advice quality. Theoretical implications and directions for future research are discussed.

scholarly journals Social support mediates the relationship between HIV stigma and depression/quality of life among people living with HIV in Beijing, China

2012 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 481-484 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Rao ◽  
W T Chen ◽  
C R Pearson ◽  
J M Simoni ◽  
K Fredriksen-Goldsen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Beijing China

Stigma towards people living with HIV is pervasive in China and related to poor service utilization, psychosocial distress and diminished quality of life (QOL). In an effort to identify mechanisms to reduce HIV stigma and its negative consequences, we examined whether social support mediates the relation between enacted stigma and both depressive symptoms and QOL among 120 HIV outpatients in Beijing, China. Generally, perceived social support was associated with less stigma, less depressive symptomatology and better QOL. Using multivariable regression models, we found that social support was a full mediator of the impact of stigma on both depressive symptomatology and QOL. The findings suggest social support may be an important target of interventions to reduce the impact of stigma on poor psychosocial health outcomes.

scholarly journals Predictors of psychological adjustment after bereavement

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. 921-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Onrust ◽  
Pim Cuijpers ◽  
Filip Smit ◽  
Ernst Bohlmeijer
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Outcome Measures ◽  
Longitudinal Research ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Buffer Effect ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Physical Disorders ◽  
The Impact

Background: The impact of spousal bereavement on mental health varies among the widowed. More information is needed on factors influencing bereavement outcome.Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study on a sample of 216 widowed individuals. Initial non-response was high, with only 8% of all approached persons participating in the study. The influence of demographic and psychosocial predictors on four general outcome measures (depression, anxiety, somatization, and quality of life) and one loss-related outcome (complicated grief) was studied by means of backward linear regression analysis. Further analyses were performed to explore the possibility of a buffer effect.Results: Depressive symptomatology was best predicted by: age, duration of widowhood, perceived non-supportiveness, physical disorders, and mastery. The other outcome measures were predicted by the same predictors supplemented by gender and education. Mastery interacted with the number of physical disorders while perceived social support interacted with duration of widowhood and age.Conclusions: Enhancement of mastery should probably be one of the components of effective support for widowed individuals most vulnerable to psychiatric complications. The widowed could furthermore benefit from social support. Obviously, these suggestions need to be further examined in longitudinal research with more representative samples.

scholarly journals INTERPERSONAL RELATEDNESS AND SELF-DEFINITION IN LATE ADULTHOOD DEPRESSION: PERSONALITY PREDISPOSITIONS, AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS

2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 351-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avi Besser ◽  
Beatriz Priel
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptomatology ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Fear Of Death ◽  
Vulnerability Factors ◽  
Late Adulthood ◽  
Interpersonal Relatedness ◽  
Personality Vulnerability ◽  
The Impact

This study addresses depression in late adulthood within the context of Blatt's (1974; 1991) theory of development and vulnerabilities to depression. Participants were a sample of 237 Israeli community-dwelling old adults (age 65–75) in good health and functioning well. The authors assumed that in this developmental period, normally beset with questions about self-identity and interpersonal relatedness, the associations among Self-criticism, the Neediness component of dependency, and depressive symptomatology are moderated by participants' perceived social support as well as by their fear of death. As expected, the correlational results confirmed that depression in late adulthood is associated with Self-criticism, Neediness, fear of death, and low perceived social support. Additional results illustrated the protective role of Efficacy and Connectedness, as well as the buffering roles of social support and low fear of death in the relation between vulnerabilities to depression and depressive symptoms in late adulthood. The overall findings highlight the relevance of personality vulnerability factors in depression in late adulthood and the need to consider a range of moderating factors that may serve to protectively buffer or exacerbate the impact of personality vulnerability factors.

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