'Not the Romantic, All Happy, Coochy Coo Experience': A Qualitative Analysis of Interactions on an Irish Parenting Web Site

Support groups in online communities provide an anonymous place to exchange information and advice. Previous research has suggested that these groups offer a safe, nonjudgmental forum for new parents to share experiences and interact anonymously. This study investigated how participants in online parenting groups experience support via the Internet and what types of support they receive. All posts made over a 2-week period on the parenting-related discussion boards of an Irish parenting Web site were analyzed using content and thematic analyses. Exploratory, semistructured interviews were also conducted with 2 forum participants to discuss their experience of using the Web site. Themes uncovered from the data gathered included the attempts by posters to dispel the myths surrounding motherhood and the recognition of the superiority of the mother as caregiver. The results revealed that the parenting Web site was seen as a safe, supportive space, in which mothers could develop an enhanced frame of reference in which to better understand the role of parenting. The role of online support groups as a viable solution to the decreasing social networks created by modern society is discussed, along with the implications of the findings for future practice and research. Key Words: parenthood, parenting, social support networks. For most parents, the experience of parenthood is a positive one; however, the period following the arrival of the new family member is often marked by increased conflict and negativity within family relationships. The quality of parenting is a critical factor in long- and short-term child well-being (Belsky, 1984; Bowlby, 1969). According to Belsky's Model of the Determinants of Parenting, psychological stress related to parenting interferes with the quality of parenting, and potentially, the infant's health. Parenting stress affects the mother's ability to assess infant cues and to appropriately provide care and comfort (Pridham, Egan, Chang, & Hansen, 1986; Tessier, Piche, Tarabulsy, & Muckle, 1992). Also, higher parental stress during infancy is associated with less positive father-child interactions when the child is 1 year old (Darke & Goldberg, 1994). Mothers who report more stress in the parenting role are also more likely to view their infants as difficult to care for (Mulsow, Caldera, Pursley, Reifman, & Huston, 2002). Central to addressing parenting stress is the parents' perceptions of having access to resources that support them in meeting the demands of parenthood, such as knowledge about, and competence at, the day-to-day as well as long-term tasks of parenting (Deater-Deckard & Scarr, 1996). Parenting is hypothesized to be more "stressful" for parents who have less knowledge, less perceived competence, and fewer emotional and instrumental supports, such as help from partners, family members, and friends (Mash & Johnston, 1990). Therefore, it is important to consider the types and forms of support that parents find effective. The availability and accessibility of emotional support are crucial ingrethents in positive adaptation to parenting since support buffers the individual from the negative effects of stressors (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). Modern society, however, has led to changes in the availability of family support due to geographic mobility, changing economic trends, and divorce (Mc Murray, 1999). This creates less opportunities for new mothers and fathers to learn about parenting through role modeling and less access to family-based supports (Guyer, Hughart, Strobino, Jones, & Scharfstein, 2000). Vimpani (2001) highlighted the detrimental effects of isolation from family and neighbors, and this finding suggests that new methods of support may need to be developed. A group setting for parents can supply a highly supportive environment in which parents can share feelings and explore alternative ways of coping with difficult situations (Nathanson, 1986; West, Meli vaine, & Sells, 1979). …