New Research Suggests That “Momfluencers” Sharing Glamorized Depictions Of Motherhood On Social Media Is Causing New Moms To Suffer Negative Mental Health Impacts
For many moms, navigating the ups and downs of parenthood can feel terrifying and isolating. That’s why the rise of mom influencers, or “momfluencers,” has been unparalleled online.
But, while some popular mom influencers intentionally post more relatable content to resonate more with the realities of motherhood, others downright glamorize being a new mother.
A new study on the topic has shown that these content creators are creating a misleading narrative – often depicting being new to motherhood as enjoyable and easy. And this can be very harmful to new moms grappling with the real struggles of raising a child, with such portrayals negatively impacting mental health and overall well-being.
The research, conducted by scientists at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL), adds to the growing body of evidence that social media often presents a version of reality that’s significantly different than actual life experiences.
However, Ciera Kirkpatrick, an assistant professor at UNL’s College of Journalism and Mass Communications, suggests that some mothers might be more susceptible to the negative effects of social media.
Kirkpatrick, who studies the impact of media messaging on mental and physical health, has taken a personal interest in this area. As a new mother herself, she began exploring the influence of social media influencers on their followers.
Her research uncovered evidence that exposure to idealized images of motherhood — featuring tidy homes, cheerful children, and flawless appearances — can increase feelings of anxiety and envy among new moms.
So, in her latest study, Kirkpatrick expanded on her previous research. She explored the possibility that certain personality characteristics could increase individuals’ vulnerability to the adverse impacts of idealized motherhood representations.
She discovered that individuals with a stronger inclination towards social comparison – or a habit of comparing oneself to others – were more likely to experience negative effects from these idealized images than those with a lesser tendency for social comparison.
Syda Productions – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual person or baby
In fact, mothers with a greater tendency towards social comparison were more likely to feel less capable in their parenting skills after seeing idealized representations of motherhood on social media. In essence, exposure to such posts resulted in these mothers doubting their own abilities to parent effectively.
“We all have this tendency to compare, but some of us are more inclined to compare than others,” Kirkpatrick said.
“If we know how these posts are affecting mothers and that they are more detrimental to certain moms, then that helps us, from a strategic health communications or health professional standpoint.”
For this study, the researchers collected 20 Instagram posts evenly split between non-idealized and idealized depictions of motherhood. These posts were part of a broader survey that included responses from 464 new mothers. The survey assessed various factors, including the tendency to compare oneself to others, self-esteem, perceived parenting skills, overall life satisfaction, and more.
Kirkpatrick initially theorized that self-esteem might significantly influence how idealized posts affect individuals. But surprisingly, the results didn’t indicate a notable difference in the impact on mothers with either low or high self-esteem.
Additionally, given the surge in popularity of short-form videos in the forms of TikToks and Instagram Reels, Kirkpatrick intends to conduct similar studies using videos that depict motherhood in both idealized and non-idealized ways.
She did point out how she’s been glad to observe an increasing number of mom influencers adopting a more authentic approach to sharing their parenting experiences since she started her research.
“I think it was simpler, with a photo, to capture exactly what you want and leave out everything else. It’s a little bit harder to make sure everything’s perfect in a video, and I’ve seen more of a push for showing realistic portrayals of motherhood as I’ve been collecting these types of posts for the next study,” Kirkpatrick explained.
Still, she has also noticed a concerning new trend that she believes calls for further investigation. For instance, Kirkpatrick has seen numerous instances where postpartum moms promote their “must-have” items. These may include a $1,000 bassinet or a bottle washer that costs $300.
She believes these material items likely add even more pressure for new moms. Then, watching “Day In The Life” videos where mothers can be seen meal planning or cleaning their house nightly just compounds the pressure.
So, Kirkpatrick hopes that her research might assist healthcare professionals in creating methods to identify patients who are more susceptible to the effects of social media, enabling them to implement preventative measures promptly.
“I’d really like to, in some of the next steps of my research, take that step of testing different strategies for overcoming this or mitigating the negative effects that social media motherhood portrayals can have,” she concluded.
“This could provide some guidance to healthcare providers during prenatal visits or postpartum care to address these things.”
To read the study’s complete findings, which have since been published in the Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, visit the link here.
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