Influencer Stories of Mental Health and Young People.

This project will explore how stories told by social media influencers ('influencers') can help young people or put them at risk as they gain awareness of, and respond to, challenges in mental health.

Currently, there is a worrying gap between the number of young people experiencing mental health difficulties and those who access the help they need. One of the largest barriers to accessing timely support is the knowledge and attitudes about mental illness and how to seek help (that is, poor mental health literacy). Knowing how to find and evaluate information about mental health is critical for young people as they navigate life's challenges, especially in the context of social media where there is a wealth of easily accessible information which varies in quality.

Influencers are among the most frequently followed accounts by young people in the UK, with audiences of millions. Mental health is often discussed in the stories that influencers share on social media sites like Instagram, Tiktok and YouTube. These stories are told in short-form videos which convey mental health experiences in distinct and powerful ways through words, music, images and editing effects. Influencer industry is largely unregulated which means that lay persons and professionals alike can offer information about mental health. Little is known about the quality of the mental health information influencers provide and the impact on young people's knowledge, emotions, attitudes and behaviours.

We will analyse the stories about mental health offered by influencers and work directly with young people to help them develop strategies to evaluate and respond effectively to this communication. We will do this in collaboration with the McPin Foundation, developing evidence-based resources for young people and those who support them (peers, families, educators).

We will use a combination of methods from applied linguistics and psychology in a co-designed project that is structured in three phases.

(1) Using narrative analysis, we will map out and categorise the types of mental health stories told by influencers in the videos they post on social media sites. We will analyse the responses to these stories to identify how mental health issues are reproduced, transformed and gain visibility online. We will work with mental health professionals and young people to evaluate the quality of these stories.

(2) Using frameworks from interpretive psychology, we will explore the impact of influencers' stories on the knowledge, beliefs and behaviour of young people, through focus groups and interviews. We will work with young people to define their key concerns about how influencers use stories to communicate about mental health.

(3) We will work with young people, mental health practitioners, parents and educators to co-design materials that will help young people best navigate the mental health information provided by influencers. We will deliver this content through a digital showcase with McPin and resources for national, third sector providers (e.g. Care for the Family and Futurum Careers).

The research comes at a time when regulation of influencer communication has become a matter of parliamentary concern (see Influencer Culture Inquiry, 2022). There is little consensus about how best to address the risks to and opportunities for young people's mental health in this context. Our research will explore solutions so young people can use social media in a safe and helpful way. We will generate knowledge which will be useful to educators, families and groups who support young people's mental health. The analyses will also provide insights to support sensitive and appropriate policy-making around influencers and health communication. The outcomes of our research will be shared with national and international audiences through publications, conferences and workshops.