Share, Post, Love: Examining the Influence of Social Media on Intimate Relationships in the Lives of Black Women

Background and Purpose: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern affecting millions of Americans annually, with Black women experiencing disproportionately high rates of victimization (Breiding et al., 2014). Studies indicate that 40% of Black women in the U.S. experience some form of IPV within their lifetime (Stockman et al., 2015), often exacerbated by race and gender oppression, as well as socio-ecological factors like poverty and low educational attainment (Anyikwa, 2015). An important yet understudied socio-ecological influence is the role of social media, which utilizes messaging to reach vast audiences. This qualitative study aims to investigate the impact of social media on Black women's perceptions of intimate relationships through individual interviews and content analysis. Grounded in the socio-ecological model (SEM), the purpose of this study is to provide insight into social media influence on ideologies surrounding intimate relationships.

Methods: Ten Black women aged 18-29, who were actively engaged in intimate relationships or dating and were regular users of social media, participated in individual semi-structured interviews. These interviews explored their perceptions of both healthy and unhealthy relationships, the influence of social media on relationship dynamics, and their observations of media representations. Additionally, content from social media platforms using relevant hashtags pertaining to relationships among Black women was collected and analyzed using procedures similar to the semi-structured interviews. Thematic and content analyses were conducted on the transcribed interview data and social media content.

Results: Through latent content analysis, several prominent themes emerged from the data. Firstly, participants reported encountering negative stereotypes of Black women on social media, which influenced their relationship expectations and outcomes. This phenomenon highlights the impact of harmful tropes and stereotypes perpetuated online. Secondly, participants expressed a reliance on social media for relationship guidance due to a lack of healthy relationship models in their personal lives. This suggests a gap in positive role models within participants' immediate environments. Lastly, an emerging trend known as the "Soft Girl Era" was identified, portraying Black women in a positive light within intimate relationships, emphasizing qualities like gratitude and respect. This narrative was highly favored by participants and considered aspirational for relationship goals.

Conclusions and Implications: The study highlights a significant link between social media and Black women's perceptions of intimate relationships. The findings highlight the urgent need for interventions aimed at addressing harmful narratives and promoting positive representations of Black women in healthy relationships on social media platforms. By establishing dedicated platforms showcasing narratives of healthy relationships and providing educational content within this community, interventions can play a crucial role in reshaping attitudes towards healthy intimate relationships among Black women.