Generation Y Mothers’ Perceptions of Digital Motherhood: A Qualitative Inquiry

Vollständiger Abstract

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With the increasing centrality of digital media platforms in everyday life, motherhood has evolved from a private experience into a visible and socially negotiated identity in online environments. This transformation has significantly influenced the perceptions and parenting practices of Generation Y mothers, who actively engage with social media. Digital motherhood representations circulating online construct norms and expectations through idealized discourses, shaping how mothers evaluate their experiences and emotions. This study examines the effects of digital motherhood representations on the perceptions, emotional experiences, and parenting practices of Generation Y mothers from a qualitative perspective. Data were collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 20 Generation Y mothers who encounter such representations on social media. Participants were selected using purposive sampling, and the data were analyzed through a deductive thematic analysis approach. The findings reveal that participants perceive digital motherhood representations ambivalently. Social media is seen as a space for accessing information, sharing experiences, and receiving emotional support. However, it also intensifies social comparison, reinforces “good mother” norms, and generates feelings of inadequacy and psychological pressure. Idealized and performance-oriented representations lead mothers to question their parenting practices and experience emotional strain. At the same time, participants demonstrate awareness of child privacy and sharenting practices and tend to establish conscious boundaries in digital parenting.