Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 14, 2026
06:45
Loneliness Assuaged: Eye-Tracking an Audience Watching Barrage Videos
Published on: May 29, 2020
4.7K
Emotional Expression and Mental Health Support in BTS Fandom Communities: A Natural Language Processing Study on
Nari Yoo1, Aaron Rodwin1, Michael Park2
1School of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, US.
JMIR Infodemiology
|March 13, 2026
Summary
BTS fans on YouTube use online spaces for emotional expression and mutual support, demonstrating significant caring and optimism. This highlights the role of fan communities in informal mental health support.
Area of Science:
- Digital Humanities
- Computational Social Science
- Psychology
Background:
- K-pop, particularly BTS, has a significant global influence on youth culture and online communities.
- Music fandoms utilize digital platforms like YouTube for entertainment, emotional expression, and mutual support.
- Limited research exists on how fandom cultures express emotional needs and support online, despite interest in music-based coping strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate mental health language patterns and coping mechanisms in BTS fan online communities.
- Examine linguistic features, such as self-referential language and emotional expression, to reflect psychological states.
- Analyze YouTube comments from BTS and Taylor Swift "sad" playlists to identify patterns and mental health implications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) for analysis.
- Analyzed 13,224 YouTube comments from BTS and Taylor Swift "sad" playlists.
- Conducted statistical comparisons of comment length, word count, pronoun use, and emotional valence, with qualitative examination of representative comments.
Main Results:
- BTS fan comments were significantly longer and had higher word counts than Taylor Swift fan comments.
- BTS fans used more first-person singular pronouns and expressed greater sadness, while Taylor Swift fans showed more admiration.
- BTS fans demonstrated more caring, gratitude, and optimism in replies, with a broader international user base and comments disclosing personal struggles and offering peer support.
Conclusions:
- Music and fan communities, especially BTS fandom, are crucial for online emotional expression, mutual care, and informal mental health support.
- Findings suggest potential for culturally responsive, community-based, and digitally mediated mental health interventions.
- Online fan communities serve as vital safe spaces for emotional expression, particularly for those lacking offline support.
More Related Videos
05:51Exploring the Use of Isolated Expressions and Film Clips to Evaluate Emotion Recognition by People with Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: May 15, 2016
9.5K
11:12Modulation of the Neurophysiological Response to Fearful and Stressful Stimuli Through Repetitive Religious Chanting
Published on: November 4, 2021
4.0K
Related Concept Videos
01:26Emotional Expression
1.2K
Emotional expression encompasses how individuals convey their emotions through verbal communication and non-verbal cues. These non-verbal actions include facial expressions, body language, and physical gestures, such as frowning or smiling. Among these, facial expressions play a crucial role in emotional expression and are understood universally, indicating a biological basis for how humans communicate emotions.
Universal Facial Expressions
Psychologist Paul Ekman identified seven basic...
Universal Facial Expressions
Psychologist Paul Ekman identified seven basic...
1.2K
01:22Motional Emf
4.2K
Magnetic flux depends on three factors: the strength of the magnetic field, the area through which the field lines pass, and the field's orientation with respect to the surface area. If any of these quantities vary, a corresponding variation in magnetic flux occurs. If the area through which the magnetic field lines are passing changes, then the magnetic flux also changes. This change in the area can be of two types: the flux through the rectangular loop increases as it moves into the...
4.2K
01:20Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused
662
Emotion-focused coping refers to a set of strategies aimed at managing the emotional impact of stressors, rather than directly addressing their causes. This approach involves altering one's emotional response to stressful situations to reduce their psychological effects. For example, individuals might talk with a friend or engage in activities like journaling to express their feelings. Such actions can help achieve emotional clarity or release, providing the psychological stability needed...
662
02:34Empathy
10.2K
Some researchers suggest that altruism operates on empathy. Empathy is the capacity to understand another person’s perspective, to feel what he or she feels. An empathetic person makes an emotional connection with others and feels compelled to help (Batson, 1991). Empathy can be expressed in several ways, including cognitive, affective, and motor.
10.2K
01:20Labeling Emotion
848
Emotional labeling is a cognitive process that involves identifying and naming one's emotions, such as anger, fear, happiness, or sadness. It allows individuals to recognize and express their internal emotional states, a critical aspect of emotional regulation and communication. Labeling emotions requires more than mere recognition; it also involves drawing upon memory and contextual cues to understand the current situation and apply a corresponding emotional label. For instance, feeling...
848
01:28Self-Help Support Groups
450
Self-help support groups are voluntary, community-based organizations that provide a platform for individuals with shared concerns to exchange support, insights, and practical strategies for coping with life challenges. Typically led by group members or paraprofessionals, these groups form a cornerstone of mental health care, especially in reaching populations that are underserved by traditional healthcare systems.
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness
One of the primary strengths of self-help...
450