Backgrounds:Alpha-mom blog refers to social media posts that portray mothers who excel at domestic life and childcare,presenting an idealized image of the perfect mother.The popularity of the Alpha-mom blog has led to...Backgrounds:Alpha-mom blog refers to social media posts that portray mothers who excel at domestic life and childcare,presenting an idealized image of the perfect mother.The popularity of the Alpha-mom blog has led to increased academic interest in the impact on maternal psychology.Based on Self-Determination Theory,this study aims to explain the relationship between Alpha-mom blog use,parenting self-efficacy,perceived social support,and mothers’mental health.Methods:An online cross-sectional survey with 649 Chinese mothers of young children was conducted(Mage=29.71,SD=3.53).The majority of participants came from low-to-middle-income households and had only one child.This study used SPSS 24.0 and PROCESS macro 3.1 for data analysis.Results:The findings indicate that(1)Alpha-mom blog use indirectly and positively predicts mental health through parenting self-efficacy and perceived social support;(2)Endorsement of intensive mothering serves as a potent moderator,suggesting that Alpha-mom blog use has comparatively stronger effects on parenting self-efficacy and perceived social support for mothers with low endorsement of intensive mothering.Conclusions:The study suggests that social media plays a positive role in enhancing mothers’sense of empowerment and mental health,while acknowledging the potential limitations of the Alpha-mom blog in benefiting vulnerable young mothers with multiple children and lower income status.展开更多
摘要Backgrounds:Alpha-mom blog refers to social media posts that portray mothers who excel at domestic life and childcare,presenting an idealized image of the perfect mother.The popularity of the Alpha-mom blog has led to increased academic interest in the impact on maternal psychology.Based on Self-Determination Theory,this study aims to explain the relationship between Alpha-mom blog use,parenting self-efficacy,perceived social support,and mothers’mental health.Methods:An online cross-sectional survey with 649 Chinese mothers of young children was conducted(Mage=29.71,SD=3.53).The majority of participants came from low-to-middle-income households and had only one child.This study used SPSS 24.0 and PROCESS macro 3.1 for data analysis.Results:The findings indicate that(1)Alpha-mom blog use indirectly and positively predicts mental health through parenting self-efficacy and perceived social support;(2)Endorsement of intensive mothering serves as a potent moderator,suggesting that Alpha-mom blog use has comparatively stronger effects on parenting self-efficacy and perceived social support for mothers with low endorsement of intensive mothering.Conclusions:The study suggests that social media plays a positive role in enhancing mothers’sense of empowerment and mental health,while acknowledging the potential limitations of the Alpha-mom blog in benefiting vulnerable young mothers with multiple children and lower income status.