Social networks use in the context of Schizophrenia: a review of the literature

Carolina Suárez-Llevat ^1,2, Beatriz Jiménez-Gómez ³, Carlos Ruiz-Núñez ⁴

⁰Psychology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Alfonso X El Sabio, Madrid, Spain.

Frontiers in Psychiatry +

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June 17, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Social media analysis reveals insights into schizophrenia, with audiovisual platforms most studied. Research highlights stigmatization and pattern detection, suggesting potential for early disease prediction and intervention.

Area Of Science

Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Digital Health
Social Sciences

Background

Schizophrenia presents unique challenges in cognitive function and social engagement.
Social networks offer a secure communication channel for individuals with schizophrenia.
Understanding social media's role is crucial for mental health support and research.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate how schizophrenia is discussed and analyzed across various social networks.
To categorize research based on social media platforms, user demographics, and study focus.
To identify trends in social media research related to schizophrenia.

Main Methods

A systematic review of 45 articles analyzing content from platforms like Facebook, X, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Weibo.
Categorization of studies by social network used, user country, user age, and research focus.
Analysis of research themes including mental health literacy, stigmatization, pattern detection, and substance use.

Main Results

The USA was the most frequent country of study (45.45%), followed by the UK and China.
Audiovisual social networks (e.g., YouTube, TikTok) were the most analyzed (60%).
Key research foci included schizophrenia stigmatization (35.55%) and prediction of schizophrenia-detecting patterns (33.33%).

Conclusions

Social media content analysis holds significant potential for predicting schizophrenia.
Early detection and intervention strategies can be developed through analyzing user-generated content.
Further research is needed to leverage social media for mental health literacy and reducing stigma.

Keywords:

disinformation health literacy mental health schizophrenia social networks