“It's really hard to strike a balance”: The role of digital influencers in shaping youth mental health

Abstract

Objective Social media influencers have enormous sway with youth; however, little is known about how they communicate about mental health and how young people respond to this content. Methods This study used semi-structured, remote interviews with 31 participants aged 16 to 24 years to explore how young people feel about the way social media influencers discuss mental health online. Thematic analysis and member-checking processes were used to identify five themes, each reflecting a tension in how participants viewed a specific aspect of influencer content. Results Themes included the style (casual or serious), volume (inadequate or excessive), focus (distress or solutions), source (lived experience or professional advice), and sponsorship status (persuading or exploitative) of influencer content. Conclusion Young people appear to hold widely varying, nuanced preferences regarding influencer mental health content. Notwithstanding some risks and limitations, influencers can generate engaging mental health content—their potential role in shaping youth mental health and other health communication efforts warrants further exploration.