PARENTS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ONLINE SUPPORT: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Much like every other aspect of contemporary life, parenting has been affected by the Internet. Parents use the Internet in a variety of ways while raising their children, including as a source of information and support. In addition to accessing static information, they engage with others in social media contexts. In this study, we present a systematic review of the research on social media use to support parenting activities, examining research trends and more substantively how parenting and social media intersect. A search of studies published between 2010-2019 yielded 70 relevant articles, classified as providing health-related support, school-related support, and general support. Findings suggest that research in this area is emergent and growing quickly, and most existing studies focus on specific instances of support. The field would benefit from underlying work to establish the prevalence, scope, and nature of parent social media support activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]