More Than a Group Chat: Women’s Social Support Seeking Behaviour in Facebook Groups

This study examines how women seek and provide social support in a Facebook group exclusively designed for female members. The research aims to demonstrate that social support is a significant communication process not only during health-related issues and crisis situations but also as part of everyday life. A second aim is to highlight the role of social support in women’s online interpersonal communication. Using content analysis, posts shared within the closed Facebook group were thematically analysed through the lens of social support theory. The findings indicate that the majority of posts in the group contain social support elements. Informational support was most frequently observed in posts related to daily life and health, while emotional support was most prevalent in discussions about relationships and religion. Esteem support, the third most common type, was primarily found in posts concerning relationships.