University of Texas at Arlington Professor Dana Litt contributed to a study led by Alex Russell, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, that found many parents turn to online peer advice when facing concerns about substance use among their children.
While parents often value guidance from others with similar experiences, the study found that much of the advice can be confusing, contradictory, and lacking an evidence-based foundation.
"We were motivated by the recognition that parents play a critical role in shaping children's substance-related attitudes and behaviors, yet many report feeling uncertain or underprepared when these issues arise," said Dr. Litt, professor of social work and co-director of UTA's Studying Alcohol and Related Risks (STARR) Lab. "Because social media platforms such as Reddit offer anonymity and peer support, they provide a unique window into parents' real-world concerns and informational needs that may not surface in clinical or research settings."
The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, noted that peer exchanges should "complement rather than replace evidence-based guidance."
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Researchers analyzed posts from a popular Reddit parenting forum spanning June 2009 to September 2024. Using targeted keywords, they identified roughly 3,500 posts related to parental concerns about substance use, then selected 156 that reflected a "range of complex and emotionally difficult situations."
The study found parents often seek advice reactively rather than proactively and that many posts contained misconceptions.
For example, parents suggested that allowing adolescents to use substances under adult supervision could promote safer habits—an idea that runs counter to evidence-based research showing early initiation and parental permissiveness are linked to poorer outcomes.
Similarly, public attitudes toward cannabis have grown more favorable, yet adolescent use remains associated with significant developmental, cognitive, and mental health risks.
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"In order to address these misconceptions, we have to meet parents where they are by translating evidence-based guidance into clear, empathetic, and easily shareable messages that resonate with parents' real concerns," Litt said. "Many evidence-based resources can feel abstract, overly clinical, and difficult to navigate and can be expensive to access. Online communities, on the other hand, offer validation and practical advice from other parents facing similar challenges."
Litt encouraged parents to consider the source when obtaining information on social media platforms.
"When in doubt, parents should view social media advice as a starting point for reflection and conversation—not a substitute for consulting trusted professionals," she said.
An important next step for future research, Litt added, is translating these findings into practical, parent-facing interventions.
"The goal of our current research," Litt said, "is to create freely accessible resources that retain what parents value about social media, such as immediacy, relatability, and grounding in lived experience while ensuring accurate, developmentally appropriate, and evidence-based content."
About The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
The University of Texas at Arlington is a growing public research university in the heart of Dallas-Fort Worth. With a student body of over 42,700, UTA is the second-largest institution in the University of Texas System, offering more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Recognized as a Carnegie R-1 university, UTA stands among the nation's top 5% of institutions for research activity. UTA and its 280,000 alumni generate an annual economic impact of $28.8 billion for the state. The University has received the Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation from the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities and has earned recognition for its focus on student access and success, considered key drivers to economic growth and social progress for North Texas and beyond.
