Dr. Ciera Kirkpatrick, an assistant professor of advertising and public relations in the CoJMC, was the first guest on Nebraska Extension's new podcast, "The Good Life in Early Life." The series will highlight Nebraska's research on early care and youth education.
In episode one, Kirkpatrick shares her research on the idealization of motherhood in the media. She dives into the negative impact social media has on the well-being of mothers.
Her study, “Comparisons to Picture-Perfect Motherhood: How Instagram’s Idealized Portrayals of Motherhood Affect New Mothers’ Well-Being," reveals that mothers can experience increased levels of envy and anxiety when viewing social media posts that idealize motherhood. Listen to episode 1 below.
In episode two, Kirkpatrick continues the discussion on social media and new mothers' mental health and well-being. She also shares her experiences as a first-time mother and tips for healthily navigating social media. Listen to episode 2 below.
“I’m really excited I had the opportunity to be a guest on this new podcast,” Kirkpatrick said. “I love that Nebraska Extension is making this effort so that, hopefully, my story and my research can have a real impact on other families here in Nebraska.”
Kirkpatrick’s research focuses on how the media influences individuals’ health and how strategic communicators can more effectively design health messages. Last February, Kirkpatrick was named a 2023 Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC) Emerging Scholar.
She presented the preliminary findings for her most recent research, "Examining Health Information Seeking on TikTok and the Impact of TikTok Message Features on Young Women's Health-Related Attitudes, Perceptions, and Behavioral Intentions" at the AEJMC annual conference in August.