Using Online Photo Sharing to Support Parents with Type One Diabetic Children

The rise of online photo sharing platforms has encouraged an increasing number of people to share online their lived experience as a carer of a child with a chronic condition. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of using online photo sharing platforms to support parents of chronically ill children. We use individual interviews and an analysis of Instagram posts to study parents of Type 1 diabetic children who actively engage in photo sharing. Findings show online photo sharing supports parents in coping with their child’s condition and in sharing their experience with and supporting other parents. Photos have a significant capacity to deliver personal experience and therefore in enhancing relationships between participants. Participants express the greater ability of photos over text in validating their experience. More specifically, personal photos create more trust in the provided information. This supports the idea that photo sharing can provide opportunities for emotions-focused coping skills, not as easily provided by text.