Saudi Parents’ Perspective on the Role of Social Media Platforms in Promoting Parenting Knowledge

The purpose of this research was to assess social media, and specifically a podcast entitled Consultation with Sarah, as a source for parents obtaining knowledge about children’s development, and to consider the factors that influence the use of social media to acquire knowledge on parenting in Saudi Arabia. The questions inquired about sources of information Saudi parents perceive as beneficial for learning about parenting, and which factors, such as gender, age, number of children, marital status, education, and employment status, are related to knowledge seeking behaviors. The research questions also sought to understand if there was a difference reported by Saudi parents who use social media for parenting knowledge before the COVID-19 pandemic. The Using Social Media for Parental Knowledge Survey was distributed to 353 Saudi parents. A mixed method survey design was used, as the survey included both multiple choice and open-ended questions. SPSS was used for quantitative data analysis. Findings indicated websites and social media were the two most common sources parents utilized to obtain parenting information. Results also indicated there were differences in knowledge seeking or reported parental knowledge based on gender, age of parents, marital status, education level, and employment status. Findings also indicated there was a statistically significant difference in respondents’ use of social media before COVID-19, although there was not a difference with regard to Consultation with Sarah. Finally, the results suggested listening to the Consultation with Sarah podcast made a significant difference in parenting knowledge, and there was a statistically significant difference reported by parents or caregivers who listened to the Consultation with Sarah podcast. The qualitative findings shed light on the reasonings behind the relationships. These findings may provide valuable information for parents, caregivers, podcast leaders, influencers, and educators.