Social support in a parenting Facebook group during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: This paper includes a mixed methods content analysis of a parenting Facebook group focused on COVID-19. We analyze participants' posts to identify the types of support parents sought and gave. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in increased parental stress and challenges related to children's development. Many families turned to social media as a source of information and social support. Method: We analyzed 1,180 posts from a large, closed Facebook group focused on parenting during COVID-19. We coded posts using a modified version of social support theory and supplemented this analysis with codes related to giving and receiving support, post format, and topic. Results: Participants frequently offered informational support, typically reposting content from other sources. There were fewer instances of soliciting support, but these posts had significantly more comments. The most common topics discussed were parenting and child development, remote schooling support, literacy, and adult mental health. Conclusion: Findings illustrate the benefits and challenges of online support communities for parents, especially those on social media platforms.