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"If it has an exclamation point, I step away from it, I need facts, not excited feelings": Technologically Mediated Parental COVID Uncertainty

Karen Joy, Michelle Liang, Tawfiq Ammari

TL;DR

This study investigates how technologically mediated social media shapes parental uncertainty during COVID-19 for children, using 23 interviews and Mishel’s UIT as a lens. It identifies socio-technical antecedents (algorithms, moderation, online community types) and new adaptation dynamics (negative adaptation/burnout) that alter appraisal and coping. The authors propose a One Health portal, physician-credibility identifiers, and personal moderation tools to reduce misinformation and burnout while supporting evidence-based decision-making. The work advances theory and practice by integrating social media dynamics into illness uncertainty and offering concrete design guidelines for caregiver support tools.

Abstract

As a novel virus, COVID introduced considerable uncertainty into the daily lives of people all over the globe since late 2019. Relying on twenty-three semi-structured interviews with parents whose children contracted COVID, we analyzed how the use of social media moderated parental uncertainty about the symptoms, prognosis, long-term potential health ramifications of infection, vaccination, and other issues. We framed our findings using Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness theory. We propose new components to the theory that account for technological mediation in uncertainty. We also propose design recommendations to help parents cope with health uncertainty using social media.

"If it has an exclamation point, I step away from it, I need facts, not excited feelings": Technologically Mediated Parental COVID Uncertainty

TL;DR

This study investigates how technologically mediated social media shapes parental uncertainty during COVID-19 for children, using 23 interviews and Mishel’s UIT as a lens. It identifies socio-technical antecedents (algorithms, moderation, online community types) and new adaptation dynamics (negative adaptation/burnout) that alter appraisal and coping. The authors propose a One Health portal, physician-credibility identifiers, and personal moderation tools to reduce misinformation and burnout while supporting evidence-based decision-making. The work advances theory and practice by integrating social media dynamics into illness uncertainty and offering concrete design guidelines for caregiver support tools.

Abstract

As a novel virus, COVID introduced considerable uncertainty into the daily lives of people all over the globe since late 2019. Relying on twenty-three semi-structured interviews with parents whose children contracted COVID, we analyzed how the use of social media moderated parental uncertainty about the symptoms, prognosis, long-term potential health ramifications of infection, vaccination, and other issues. We framed our findings using Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness theory. We propose new components to the theory that account for technological mediation in uncertainty. We also propose design recommendations to help parents cope with health uncertainty using social media.

Paper Structure

This paper contains 49 sections, 2 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Related Work
  3. Uncertainty in Illness Theory (UIT)
  4. Antecedents
  5. Appraisal
  6. Adaptation
  7. Finding parenting information and support online
  8. How parents make use of different platform affordances and signals
  9. Moderation of parenting spaces
  10. COVID and parenting online
  11. Parents navigating pediatric health information
  12. Methods
  13. Data Collection
  14. Data Analysis
  15. Researcher Positionality
  16. ...and 34 more sections

Figures (2)

  • Figure 1: Theoretical model adapted from the Uncertainty in Illness Theory (Mishel, 1988) mishel1988uncertainty and the review of Uncertainty in Illness Theory by Wright et al. (2009) wright2009illness Our modifications to the model are highlighted with dotted outlines. We have introduced a new Antecedent: Socio-Technical Factors. In the Appraisal section, we demonstrate the impacts of this new Antecedent and introduce a component called 'Failed Coping,' which is not present in the original theory. Additionally, we have incorporated a component in the Adaptation termed Negative Adaptation which incorporates 'Burnout.'
  • Figure 2: This is the message that appears to Instagram users who try to search for COVID vaccine injury. The link takes the user to the CDC vaccines and immunization page.