The influence of social media on the alcohol consumption of mothers of children less than or equal to 18 years of age: a scoping review of the literature

Abstract

Problematic alcohol consumption is common in many countries, where alcohol consumption is commonly interpreted as a fun and leisurely activity for mothers to engage in to cope with with challenges associated with motherhood. However, a significant amount of social media content promotes maternal drinking habits, which is speculated to increase maternal alcohol consumption worldwide. This scoping review investigated social media content aimed towards mothers of children and teenagers younger than eighteen. The databases PsycINFO, CINAHL, SocINDEX, Medline, and Academic Search Complete were analyzed for evidence of social media influencers on motherhood alcohol consumption. Results show that factors related to alcohol consumption in motherhood include community and social support, coping and mental health, motherhood expectations and identity, alcohol consumption, marketing strategies, everyday issues, and social media influence. Thus, the current literature reveals the shared social media content that normalizes maternal drinking behaviors. Future studies should investigate long-term impacts of alcohol consumption during motherhood and sociocultural and health implications related to women's alcohol consumption.

Faculty Mentors: Dr. Emilene Reisdorfer, Dr. Maryam Nesari, Dr. Kari Krell, Sharon Johnston, Randi Ziorio Dunlop, Andrea Chute, & Dr. Fernanda dos Santos Nogueira de Goes