Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
Date Submitted: Aug 9, 2021
Date Accepted: Nov 23, 2021
Date Submitted to PubMed: Mar 7, 2022
Social media driven routes to youth positive mental health: A qualitative enquiry and concept mapping
ABSTRACT
Background:
Social media (SM) influence almost every aspect of our lives by facilitating instant many-to-many communication and self-expression. Recent research suggests strong negative and positive impacts of SM exposure on youth mental health, however, there has been more emphasis on harmful relationships.
Objective:
Given the limited research in benefits of SM to mental health, this qualitative study explored lived experiences of community-dwelling youth in Singapore to understand how SM use can contribute to youth positive mental health (PMH).
Methods:
Using an interpretative epistemological approach, 25 semi-structured interviews and 11 focus group discussions were conducted with male and female youth of different ethnicities aged 15 to 24 years residing in Singapore, recruited through purposive sampling from the community. We conducted inductive thematic analysis and concept mapping to address the research aims.
Results:
We found that youth engaged in a wide range of activities on SM – from connecting with family and friends to participating in global movements, and these served as avenues for building PMH. Based on participants’ narratives, our analysis suggested that youth PMH could be influenced by three features of SM consumption – connection with friends and their global community, engaging SM content, and its valuable as an outlet for expression. Through these, pathways leading to five PMH components, namely, (i) positive relationships and social capital, (ii) self-concept, (iii) coping, (iv) happiness, and (v) other relevant aspects of mental health (for example, positivity and personal growth) were identified.
Conclusions:
The study results highlight the integral role of SM in the lives of todays’ youth and indicate that they can offer opportunities for positive influence, personal expression, and social support; thus, contributing to youth PMH. The findings of our research can be applied to optimise engagement with youth through SM and enhance digital modes of mental health promotion. Clinical Trial: Not applicable
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