scholarly journals Examining the Self-Harm and Suicide Contagion Effects of the Blue Whale Challenge on YouTube and Twitter: Qualitative Study

10.2196/15973 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. e15973 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amro Khasawneh ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
Emma Dixon ◽  
Pamela Wiśniewski ◽  
Heidi Zinzow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Contagion Effects ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Contagion Risk

Background Research suggests that direct exposure to suicidal behaviors and acts of self-harm through social media may increase suicidality through imitation and modeling, particularly in more vulnerable populations. One example of a social media phenomenon that demonstrates how self-harming behavior could potentially be propagated is the blue whale challenge. Objective This paper aimed to investigate the way individuals portray the blue whale challenge on social media, with an emphasis on factors that could pose a risk to vulnerable populations. Methods We first used a thematic analysis approach to code 60 publicly posted YouTube videos, 1112 comments on those videos, and 150 Twitter posts that explicitly referenced the blue whale challenge. We then deductively coded the YouTube videos based on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) safe messaging guidelines as a metric for the contagion risk associated with each video. Results The thematic analysis revealed that social media users post about the blue whale challenge to raise awareness and discourage participation, express sorrow for the participants, criticize the participants, or describe a relevant experience. The deductive coding of the YouTube videos showed that most of the videos violated at least 50% of the SPRC safe and effective messaging guidelines. Conclusions These posts might have the problematic effect of normalizing the blue whale challenge through repeated exposure, modeling, and reinforcement of self-harming and suicidal behaviors, especially among vulnerable populations such as adolescents. More effort is needed to educate social media users and content generators on safe messaging guidelines and factors that encourage versus discourage contagion effects.

scholarly journals Examining the Self-Harm and Suicide Contagion Effects of the Blue Whale Challenge on YouTube and Twitter: Qualitative Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amro Khasawneh ◽  
Kapil Chalil Madathil ◽  
Emma Dixon ◽  
Pamela Wiśniewski ◽  
Heidi Zinzow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Suicidal Behaviors ◽  
Blue Whale ◽  
Contagion Effects ◽  
Direct Exposure ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Contagion Risk

BACKGROUND Research suggests that direct exposure to suicidal behaviors and acts of self-harm through social media may increase suicidality through imitation and modeling, particularly in more vulnerable populations. One example of a social media phenomenon that demonstrates how self-harming behavior could potentially be propagated is the blue whale challenge. In this challenge, adolescents and young adults are encouraged to engage in self-harm and eventually kill themselves. OBJECTIVE This paper aimed to investigate the way individuals portray the blue whale challenge on social media, with an emphasis on factors that could pose a risk to vulnerable populations. METHODS We first used a thematic analysis approach to code 60 publicly posted YouTube videos, 1112 comments on those videos, and 150 Twitter posts that explicitly referenced the blue whale challenge. We then deductively coded the YouTube videos based on the Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) safe messaging guidelines as a metric for the contagion risk associated with each video. RESULTS The thematic analysis revealed that social media users post about the blue whale challenge to raise awareness and discourage participation, express sorrow for the participants, criticize the participants, or describe a relevant experience. The deductive coding of the YouTube videos showed that most of the videos violated at least 50% of the SPRC safe and effective messaging guidelines. CONCLUSIONS These posts might have the problematic effect of normalizing the blue whale challenge through repeated exposure, modeling, and reinforcement of self-harming and suicidal behaviors, especially among vulnerable populations such as adolescents. More effort is needed to educate social media users and content generators on safe messaging guidelines and factors that encourage versus discourage contagion effects.

scholarly journals Self-harm and social media: thematic analysis of images posted on three social media sites

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. e027006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Shanahan ◽  
Cathy Brennan ◽  
Allan House
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Explicit Representation ◽  
Visual Content ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Self Harm

ObjectivesTo explore the nature of images tagged as self-harm on popular social media sites and what this might tell us about how these sites are used.DesignA visual content and thematic analysis of a sample of 602 images captured from Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.ResultsOver half the images tagged as self-harm had no explicit representation of self-harm. Where there was explicit representation, self-injury was the most common; none of these portrayed images of graphic or shocking self-injury. None of the images we captured specifically encouraged self-harm or suicide and there was no image that could be construed as sensationalising self-harm.Four themes were found across the images: communicating distress, addiction and recovery, gender and the female body, identity and belonging.ConclusionsFindings suggest that clinicians should not be overly anxious about what is being posted on social media. Although we found a very few posts suggesting self-injury was attractive, there were no posts that could be viewed as actively encouraging others to self-harm. Rather, the sites were being used to express difficult emotions in a variety of creative ways, offering inspiration to others through the form of texts or shared messages about recovery.

scholarly journals The Presentation of Self-Harm Recovery: A Thematic Analysis of YouTube Videos

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (12) ◽  
pp. 1596-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selena Ryan-Vig ◽  
Jeff Gavin ◽  
Karen Rodham
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Presentation Of Self ◽  
Self Harm ◽  
Youtube Videos

scholarly journals A Qualitative Analysis of Self-Harm and Suicide in Sri Lankan Printed Newspapers

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Jane Brandt Sørensen ◽  
Melissa Pearson ◽  
Gregory Armstrong ◽  
Martin Wolf Andersen ◽  
Manjula Weerasinghe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Qualitative Analysis ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicidal Behavior ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Middle Income Country ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Self Harm

Abstract. Background: Media reporting may influence suicidal behavior. In-depth exploration of how self-harm and suicide are portrayed in newspaper articles in a middle-income country such as Sri Lanka is lacking. Aims: We aimed to explore how self-harm and suicide are portrayed in Sri Lankan printed newspapers. Method: Seven English- and Sinhala-language Sri Lankan newspapers were screened for articles reporting on self-harm and suicide (December 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015). A thematic analysis was conducted. Results: In the 78 articles identified for analysis, certain aspects were overemphasized (inappropriate behavior) and others underemphasized (alcohol and complexities of self-harm). Explanations of self-harm were one-sided and a suicide prevention narrative was lacking. Limitations: Another time-frame and inclusion of Tamil newspapers as well as social media and online publications would provide additional understanding. Conclusion: The study found an indication of simplistic reporting. Greater focus on prevention and a nuanced portrayal of self-harm could reduce stigma and imitative behavior.

scholarly journals Making sense of “superbugs” on YouTube: A storytelling approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 096366252198925
Author(s):  
Monika Djerf-Pierre ◽  
Mia Lindgren
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Social Media Platform ◽  
Making Sense ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The World ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Youtube Videos ◽  
Health Experts

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the greatest challenges facing the world. With the rapid growth of social media, YouTube has become an influential social media platform providing publics with expert health knowledge. This article explores how antimicrobial resistance is communicated on YouTube. Drawing on qualitative media analyses of the most viewed YouTube videos 2016–2020, we identify seven different genres and two main storytelling approaches, personalized and fictionalized storytelling, used to make sense of antimicrobial resistance and its complexities. The study contributes new knowledge about YouTube as a platform for health communication and the types of videos about antimicrobial resistance that gets most traffic. This is useful, not the least for public health experts working to improve communication strategies that target hard-to-reach media publics.

Social media participatory CPD for nursing revalidation, professional development and beyond

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (13) ◽  
pp. 870-877
Author(s):  
Calvin Moorley ◽  
Theresa Chinn
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Design Data ◽  
The Social ◽  
Reflective Design ◽  
Professional Requirements ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Media Applications

Background: In 2016 the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the UK introduced revalidation, which is the process nurses are required to follow to renew their registration. This provides an opportunity for nurses to shape, develop and evolve social media to meet their professional requirements. Aims: to examine different ways nurses can use social media tools for continuous professional development (CPD) and revalidation. Methods: using a qualitative reflective design, data were gathered from content on the @WeNurses platform and activities organised with other leading health organisations in England. These data were analysed using the social media relationship triangle developed by the authors with a thematic analysis approach. Findings: analysis revealed that social media was used in six categories: publishing, sharing, messaging, discussing, collaborating, and networking. Organised social media events such as: blogs, tweetchats, Twitter storms, webinars, infographics, podcasts, videos and virtual book clubs can support nurses with revalidation and professional development. Conclusion: Through using a participatory CPD approach and embracing professional social media applications nurses have moved social media from the concept of a revolution to an evolution.

scholarly journals “Teachers Act Like We’re Robots”: TikTok as a Window Into Youth Experiences of Online Learning During COVID-19

AERA Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233285842199553
Author(s):  
Ioana Literat
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Learning ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Home School ◽  
Educational Support ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
Online Coursework ◽  
Youth Experiences ◽  
Educational Futures

Social media, and especially popular youth-focused platforms like TikTok, can offer a valuable window into youth experiences, including their perceptions of online learning. Building on a large-scale thematic analysis of 1,930 TikTok videos posted in March-June 2020, this study examines how young people shared their experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings indicate that youth portrayed online coursework as overwhelming and relentless against the traumatic background of the pandemic. They sought support, empathy, and authenticity from teachers, and both received and provided emotional and educational support to peers on the platform. Students’ home contexts emerged as particularly salient, making visible the intersections between young people’s home, school and social lives. By facilitating a grounded, bottom-up understanding of students’ experiences and perceptions—shared in their preferred spaces and modes of expression—this research stresses the need to attend to youth perspectives to craft more equitable and empowering educational futures.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document