Social media driven routes to youth positive mental health: A qualitative enquiry and concept mapping (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar ◽  
Rob M. van Dam ◽  
Ellaisha Samari ◽  
Sherilyn Chang ◽  
Esmond Seow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Wide Range

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. CLINICALTRIAL Not applicable

scholarly journals Social media driven routes to youth positive mental health: A qualitative enquiry and concept mapping (Preprint)

10.2196/32758 ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janhavi Ajit Vaingankar ◽  
Rob M. van Dam ◽  
Ellaisha Samari ◽  
Sherilyn Chang ◽  
Esmond Seow ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Concept Mapping ◽  
Positive Mental Health

scholarly journals The Effect of Neighborhood Experiences on Positive Mental Health Among Community-Dwelling Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 436-436
Author(s):  
Daniel R Y Gan ◽  
Grand H-L Cheng ◽  
Tze Pin Ng ◽  
John Chye Fung ◽  
Im Sik Cho
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Path Analysis ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Neighborhood Environment ◽  
Community Based Interventions ◽  
Psychosocial Wellbeing

Abstract Given reduced life spaces, the neighborhood often functions as a social venue for older adults. Yet how these everyday social spaces affect older adults’ psychosocial wellbeing remains largely unknown. Drawing on the GRP-CARE Survey data, this paper examined the relation between neighborhood experiences and positive mental health. Participants were 601 community-dwelling Singaporeans aged 50+ who lived in public housing neighborhoods. Neighborhood experiences were measured using the four-factorial, 16-item OpenX scale (Gan, Fung, Cho, 2019); positive mental health was measured using a six-factorial, 19-item scale (Vaingankar et al., 2011). Both scales have good psychometric properties and had been validated. Path analysis between relevant factors of both scales was conducted using Stata, within a theorized model of causation from neighborhood environment to social factors to psychosocial health. Age, education, ethnicity and sex were controlled for. Multiple linear regression analysis showed a strong, positive association between neighborhood experiences and mental health (p=0.000) even after controlling for personal traits (operationalized as depressive symptoms, GDS) in addition to sociodemographic variables. Path analysis showed that two distinct neighborhood health processes mediated this association. These were (1) the potential for a sense of community in the neighborhood improved emotional support, and (2) having better neighborly friendships improved interpersonal skills. These neighborhood health processes provide us with new lenses to understand older adults’ everyday experiences of their neighborhoods. Community-based interventions to improve older adults’ psychosocial wellbeing may be developed to facilitate these processes. Spatial and programmatic implications will be discussed in relation to age-friendly cities and communities (AFCC).

scholarly journals Depression and Psychological Well-Being as Distinct Constructs: Mutually Exclusive Associations With Biomarker

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 251-251
Author(s):  
Kheng Siang Ted Ng ◽  
Shu Cheng Wong ◽  
Glenn Wong ◽  
Ee Heok Kua ◽  
Anis Larbi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Factor Score ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
The Other ◽  
Factor Scores ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract Despite increasing emphasis on assessing the mental health of older adults, there has been inconclusive evidence on whether depression and psychological well-being (PWB) are fundamentally distinct constructs or representations of the opposite ends of the mental health spectrum. To instantiate either hypothesis, investigation of the associations between mental health scales and biomarkers have been proposed. First, we assessed depressive symptoms and PWB in community-dwelling older adults (N=59, mean age=67) using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Ryff’s Scale of PWB (comprising six sub-scales). We measured a wide range of immune markers employing ELISA and flow cytometry. Subsequently, we used principal component analysis (PCA) to aggregate and derived biomarker factor scores. Lastly, multiple linear regressions were performed to examine the associations between the scales and the derived biomarker factor scores, controlling for covariates. PCA extracted six biomarker factors. Biomarker factor score 1 was significantly associated with PWB (β=-0.029, p=0.035) and the PWB sub-scale, self-acceptance (β=-0.089, p=0.047), while biomarker factor score 4 was significantly associated with the PWB sub-scale, purpose in life (β=-0.087, p=0.025). On the other hand, biomarker factor 6 was significantly associated with SDS (β=-0.070, p=0.008). There were mutually- exclusive associations between the scales with biomarker factor scores, supporting the hypothesis of distinct constructs. Our findings expanded the biomarkers of depression and PWB, deepening understanding of the biological underpinnings of depressive symptoms and PWB. These findings have implications in field work, since researchers could not infer one construct from the other, the examination of both constructs are essential.

The Role of Social Media Communication: Empirical Study of Online Purchase Intention of Financial Products

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 1445-1461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bidyanand Jha
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Purchase Intention ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Media Communication ◽  
Virtual Workplace ◽  
Financial Products ◽  
Online Purchase ◽  
Social Media Communication

Social media provides a virtual workplace/network where people can enjoy expressing their opinions, exchange opinions, disseminate and control messages anywhere and anytime. Marketers are now able to reach consumers and interact with them using social media. The present study investigates the relations between communications on the social network platforms and its effect on the purchase intentions of young consumers towards financial products. Different statistical techniques were used to assess and validate the constructs selected for the study. Subjective content validity (based on structured interviews), reliability tests (using Cronbach’s alpha [α]), exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for evaluating the factor structure and initial validity were used for the investigation. The findings suggest that user-generated social media communication (UGSMC) such as customer reviews plays an important role in creating positive perception towards online purchase of financial products, thereby impacting the brand attitude (BA) and brand equity. The perception of consumers is built on what they see and hear on social media platforms. There is a positive influence of social media on the online purchase of financial products. Social media influences information at different stages of customer decision-making.

scholarly journals Preliminary development of the social media disinformation scale (SMDS-12) and its association with social media addiction and mental health: COVID-19 as a pilot case study (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noomen Guelmami ◽  
Maher ben Khalifa ◽  
Nasr Chalghaf ◽  
Jude Dzevela Kong ◽  
Tannoubi Amayra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Factor Analysis ◽  
Internet Addiction ◽  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Measurement Scale ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Wide Range

BACKGROUND In recent years, online disinformation has increased. An infodemic has spread around the COVID-19 pandemic. Since January 2020, the culprits and antidotes to disinformation have been digital and social media. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to develop and test the psychometric properties of the SMDS-12 measurement scale which assesses the consumption, confidence, and sharing of information related to covid-19 by social media users. METHODS A total of 874 subjects recruited over two exploratory (n = 179, Mean age = 29.34, SD = 7.98) and confirmatory (n = 695, Mean age = 31.22, SD = 11.63) periods, completed thesocial media disinformation scale (SMDS-12),the Internet addiction test (IAT), the COVID-19 fear scale, and the perceived stress questionnaire.The 12-item scale (SMDS-12 ) was initially tested by exploratory factor analysis. RESULTS The test supported the three-dimensional structure, in addition, no items were removed from the measurement scale. Subsequently, confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the robustness of the measure by referring to a wide range of goodness-of-fit indices that met the recommended standards. The reliability of the instrument examined by means of three internal consistency indices demonstrated that the three dimensions of the instrument are reliable.The correlation between the instrument's dimensions with the internet addiction scale and mental health factors showed positive associations. CONCLUSIONS The scale is eligible for measuring the credibility of disinformation and can be adapted to measure the credibility of social media disinformation in other contexts.

scholarly journals Understanding user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Yang ◽  
◽  
Shan Zhao ◽  
Wenyong Li ◽  
Richard Evans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Chinese Government ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Social Media Platforms ◽  
The Government

Introduction. The purpose of this paper is to understand government social media from the perspective of user satisfaction and to evaluate it in the context of presentation, content and utility of the government affairs' microblogs in China. Method. Based on the comprehensive information theory, this study will generalise descriptions about the factors affecting the user satisfaction in the existing research. Analysis. Taking Chinese government affairs microblogs as examples, the paper utilises structural equation modelling to analyse an online survey study. Results. Its result indicates that presentation, content and utility have a positive influence on user satisfaction with Chinese government social media platforms. Conclusions. This study gets rid of the oversimplified description of the application of government social media, and could provide policy reference for subsequent adoption strategies of government social media.

scholarly journals Assessing the level of well-being in individuals practicing sport

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-19
Author(s):  
Magdalena Pieniążek ◽  
Grzegorz Mańko ◽  
Angelika Sosulska ◽  
Jarosław Jaszczur-Nowicki ◽  
Irina Lozinska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Time Pressure ◽  
Training Session ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Mental Condition ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Treatment Of Depression ◽  
Study Results

Background and aim: There is an increasing body of evidence that physical exercise may have a positive effect on people’s mental condition and well-being. Numerous study results indicate that physical activity helps in the treatment of depression and anxiety. This allows for a conclusion that sport – to a great extent – influences not only people’s physical aspects, but also their psyche. Sedentary lifestyle, time pressure and stress that accompanies people at an increasingly younger age contribute both to higher incidence of numerous civilisation diseases and to problems with mental health. The purpose of the study was to verify whether individuals practicing sports manifest better well-being than non-training individuals. Methods: A general interview was conducted with 80 students (40 individuals practicing sports and 40 individuals not practicing sports at all), whereupon they were requested to complete the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale questionnaire. Results: The individuals practicing sport exhibit greater well-being than the subjects from the control group. It was also demonstrated that the males in the study group exhibit greater wellbeing than the females from the same group However, no findings were made that longer duration of a single training session, its frequency or the time when a given person started practicing sport had any influence on his/her well-being. Conclusions: Practicing sports has a positive influence on people’s well-being. Physical activity should be promoted from as early an age as possible to minimise the risk of numerous diseases in the future, including those affecting mental health.

scholarly journals Preparing student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession by using the wisdom of the experienced

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Holmes ◽  
Natalie Ciccone ◽  
Lynne Cohen ◽  
Richard Brightwell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Coping Strategies ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Mental Health Policy ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Mental Health Challenges

Given the significant mental health issues affecting our paramedics, there exists an urgent need to promote positive mental health and well-being among future cohorts of student paramedics.  This study investigated the preparedness of student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession and explored the coping strategies used by experienced paramedics.The study was conducted in two parts. Part A comprised of two surveys which were developed and administered to 16 course coordinators and 302 students of the 16 accredited undergraduate paramedicine courses across Australia and New Zealand. The survey aimed to identify the perceived need for preparation within the curriculum.  In addition, the anticipations, confidence and fears of student paramedics, Course Coordinators and paramedics were also collected as a means to explore the preparedness through self-evaluation, reflection and discussion.Part B included twenty semi-structured interviews with experienced paramedics, from Australia and New Zealand. The interviews were conducted to gain an understanding of their experiences and the mental health coping strategies they employed, as well as capture the advice they would give to student paramedics. Results from the interviews were validated by three focus groups comprised of six paramedics each, representative of the geographic spread.Results suggest there is widespread recognition for the need to include preparation for the mental health challenges of the profession, within accredited undergraduate paramedic courses, with 100% of course coordinators and 97% of students recognising this need.The interviews with paramedics provided valuable insights into the experiences and strategies used to aid the survival of the paramedics throughout their careers.  Within the interviews, 70% of participants expressed a sincere love for the paramedic role, and 70% identified black humour as the coping strategy most used by themselves and colleagues.  In addition, extensive advice was given to students based upon the paramedics’ lived experiences.  This advice comprised of three themes; support, health and the profession.   These findings were mapped against the aims of Australia’s current Mental Health Policy to provide evidence-based and policy-informed guidelines for the integration of positive mental health strategies into undergraduate paramedicine curricula.Preparing student paramedics for the mental health challenges of the profession could be advantageous.  One way to achieve this is through the inclusion of key content within the undergraduate curriculum by utilising the relatable data collected on anticipation, confidence, fears and the advice offered by the veteran paramedics can be integrated. These lived experiences are highly credible and an opportunity for veterans to contribute positively to the future of paramedicine.

scholarly journals Factors Associated With Increased Dissemination of Positive Mental Health Messaging On Social Media

Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Sumner ◽  
Daniel A. Bowen ◽  
Brad Bartholow
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Adjusted Odds Ratio ◽  
Positive Mental Health ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Linguistic Style ◽  
Factors Associated

Abstract. Background: The dissemination of positive messages about mental health is a key goal of organizations and individuals. Aims: Our aim was to examine factors that predict increased dissemination of such messages. Method: We analyzed 10,998 positive messages authored on Twitter and studied factors associated with messages that are shared (re-tweeted) using logistic regression. Characteristics of the account, message, linguistic style, sentiment, and topic were examined. Results: Less than one third of positive messages (31.7%) were shared at least once. In adjusted models, accounts that posted a greater number of messages were less likely to have any single message shared. Messages about military-related topics were 60% more likely to be shared (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.6, 95% CI [1.1, 2.1]) as well as messages containing achievement-related keywords (AOR = 1.6, 95% CI [1.3, 1.9]). Conversely, positive messages explicitly addressing eating/food, appearance, and sad affective states were less likely to be shared. Multiple other message characteristics influenced sharing. Limitations: Only messages on a single platform and over a focused period of time were analyzed. Conclusion: A knowledge of factors affecting dissemination of positive mental health messages may aid organizations and individuals seeking to promote such messages online.

scholarly journals The impact of social media on recruitment: Are you LinkedIn?

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanja Koch ◽  
Charlene Gerber ◽  
Jeremias J. De Klerk
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Social Media ◽  
South African ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Recruitment Process ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Managerial Implications ◽  
Social Media Tools ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
The Impact

Orientation: With many organisations vying for the same talent, it is important to ensure that the correct methods are utilised in identifying and attracting the best talent to an organisation.Research purpose: This research investigates the impact of social media on the recruitment process in South Africa.Motivation for the study: As the competition for qualified talent increases, organisations need to understand where to focus their resources to attract the best talent possible. The use of social media is growing daily and its use in the recruitment process seems to have grown exponentially.Research design, approach and method: The sample comprised 12 recruiters, spanning a wide range of industries in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and a thematic analysis was utilised to identify themes and subthemes.Main findings: Despite still utilising some traditional methods of recruiting, South African recruiters follow their international counterparts, with LinkedIn being central to their respective recruitment processes. The use of Twitter and Facebook for recruitment was found to be substantially lower in South Africa than elsewhere. Without following a focused approach, the volume of work that emanates from using social media may overwhelm a recruiter.Practical and managerial implications: Recruiters cannot execute effective recruitment without applying social media tools such as LinkedIn. However, training in the optimal use of social media is essential.Contribution: This study indicates that LinkedIn has a major impact on recruitment in South Africa, but that social media is not a panacea for recruitment issues.

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