Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
New mums sought to share experiences of online parenting forums
Lauren McSorley, who is studying for a PhD in Psychology within the Leeds School of Social Sciences at Leeds Beckett, is exploring how and why mums use online forums to support their postnatal mental health and wellbeing; and how women use forums to support their experience of becoming a mother.
Lauren explained: “I want to find out about women’s experiences of using online parenting forums such as Netmums, Mumsnet, and Babycentre. What are their motivations for using them, what types of responses have they received, and how have the forums influenced their mental wellbeing? I am also interested in finding out more about women’s experiences of support from healthcare professionals, such as health visitors or GPs.”
Lauren would like to invite women in the UK, aged 18 and above, who have a child under 12 months of age and have recent experience of using any online parenting forums to discuss or support their mental health and wellbeing, to share their experiences via an online survey. Participants do not have to be first-time mothers, as long as their youngest child is under 12 months old.
To take part, please complete Lauren’s survey online.
The survey takes approximately 30 minutes to complete. It is anonymous, however participants have the option of leaving their email address at the end of the survey in order to enter a prize draw to win one of four £50 Love2Shop gift vouchers.
Lauren’s current research forms part of a series of studies which she hopes will be used to inform and shape recommendations for healthcare professionals to best support the mental health of new mothers.