title: Research on Social Networking Sites and Social Support from 2004 to 2015: A Narrative Review and Directions for Future Research.
abstract: The article presents a narrative review of scholarship on social support through social networking sites (SNSs) published from 2004 to 2015. By searching keywords related to social support and SNSs in major databases for social sciences, we identified and content analyzed directly relevant articles (N = 88). The article summarizes the prevalence of theory usage; the function of theory usage (e.g., testing a theory, developing a theory); major theories referenced; and methodologies, including research designs, measurement, and the roles of social support and SNS examined in this literature. It also reports four themes identified across the studies, indicating the trends in the current research. Based on the review, the article presents a discussion about study sites, conceptualization of social support, theoretical coherence, the role of social networks, and the dynamic relationships between SNS use and social support, which points out potential avenues for shaping a future research agenda.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Communication, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: Jingbo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Communication, San Diego State University , San Diego, California.
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Communication, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Holmstrom
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Communication, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: Minwoong
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Communication, Michigan State University , East Lansing, Michigan.
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cox
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D033262:Narration; D012106:Research; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support
keywords: literature review; research agenda; social networking site; social support