Relatability versus responsibility: Social media influencers on their roles in youth mental health

Social media influencers-individuals with substantial, loyal followings-are influential in shaping public discourse, particularly among youth, on topics like health and well-being. However, their role in facilitating mental health discussions online remains underexplored. This study examines the perspectives of New Zealand (NZ) based influencers as part of a broader investigation into their engagement with mental health content.

This exploratory study employed remote, semi-structured interviews and reflexive thematic analysis. NZ-based influencers aged 16 and older, with over 10,000 followers and active on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, were recruited. Eight influencers (five females, three males, aged 26-45 years) participated, with a mean follower count of 53,000, predominantly on Instagram.

Three key themes emerged, highlighting tensions within influencers' roles. The first theme, "Defining Influence: Regular Person or Role Model," explored their perspectives on their general power and identity as influencers. The second, "Discussing Mental Health: Amateur or Expert," examined their self-perceived qualifications and challenges in creating public mental health content. The third, "Providing Crisis Support: Helpless Bystander or Well-Intentioned Samaritan," detailed their approaches to responding to followers' private mental health disclosures.

This study underscores the complex roles influencers play in youth mental health conversations, emphasizing their potential for positive impact alongside ethical and practical challenges. Clearer guidelines, targeted training, and resources are essential to equip influencers to engage safely, ethically, and effectively in these discussions. Influencers and mental health professionals could collaborate by establishing referral pathways and codeveloping psychoeducational or promotional content, while researchers, platforms, and policymakers may contribute by creating guidelines for responsible content distribution.