2 - (SYM 31) Decoding Influence: Understanding Parenting Content Creators and Their Secrets to Success

Parents have been seeking child-rearing guidance online since the early years of the internet (Allen & Rainie, 2002). In recent years, parenting influencers on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube have attracted large audiences. Parents from diverse sociocultural backgrounds are turning to social media for information, creating an important opportunity to increase access to evidence-based guidance. However, evidence-based information from the field of behavioral parent training (BPT), including parenting interventions for health promotion, early intervention, and treatment across populations and settings, is largely underrepresented in the leading parenting accounts. This underrepresentation reflects a larger challenge of dissemination and implementation faced by psychological science.   

This study examines the contemporary landscape of influential parenting social media accounts to identify the factors contributing to their widespread audience engagement. Through systematic analysis of quantitative and qualitative variables, we investigate the communication strategies employed by successful parenting content creators. Top parenting accounts are identified for coding based on followership, consistent posting frequency, engagement rates, and content primarily focused on parenting advice. Each account is coded for variables including reach (e.g., average views and likes, virality), post frequency, types of posts (e.g., talking head, skit, infographic), types of information (e.g., actionable tips, parenting philosophy), characteristics of the account owner, and references to credible sources.

The presentation will share key findings from our content analysis, highlighting commonalities across parenting accounts, anomalies, and a comparison of key findings to dissemination best practices in relevant fields. Rather than focus on the accuracy of information being shared, we focus on what kinds of parenting content is being widely consumed and how the account owners engage their audiences through specific presentation strategies, content formats, and interaction techniques.

Discussion will include implications for a) researchers and practitioners interested in disseminating BPT, evidence-based information, and interventions for children, b) adjusting the content of parent education to align with the needs and interests of parents, and c) future research on bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and the dissemination of accessible and engaging parenting guidance.