Exploring the Role of Mom's Chat Groups in the Messaging App: Enhancing Support and Empowerment for Stay-At-Home Mothers

Abstract

This study delves into the digital interactions of stay-at-home moms (SAHMs) in Taiwan, exploring their utilization of LINE messaging app's chat groups as a pivotal means for informational, emotional, and practical support amidst their parenting journeys. Amidst the dominant patriarchal societal norms and potential isolations intrinsic to their role, these SAHMs establish a robust, cooperative digital environment, wherein maternal experiences, knowledge, and emotional backings are collectively shared and curated. Through a two-stage interview study, employing chatbot technology over 14 days with 18 participants, we unveiled how SAHMs engage in both tacit and explicit collaborative work within these chat groups, reclaiming their maternal identity and amplifying their parenting confidence. This exploration not only illuminates the critical role of technology in enhancing collaborative maternal work but also propels the discourse on how SAHMs navigate their distinctive needs within specific socio-cultural contexts through technological means. Consequently, this offers a foundational perspective towards crafting technological designs that are empathetically attuned to the lived experiences and needs of SAHMs in Taiwan.