Social Media Influencers and Mental Health Messaging: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Social media and mental health research
• Health communication studies
• Digital health interventions

Background:

• Social media influencers (SMIs) disseminate health information, potentially increasing awareness and reducing stigma.
• Concerns exist regarding the accuracy, comprehensiveness, and clinical guideline alignment of SMI mental health content.
• The impact of influencer narratives on audience understanding and behavior requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of research on the content and audience response to mental health communication by SMIs.
• To map the current state of research in this emerging field.
• To identify gaps in the existing literature and suggest future research directions.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search of multiple databases yielding 2,746 records.
• Inclusion criteria applied to select 23 relevant studies for analysis.
• Qualitative synthesis of study findings focusing on content, audience response, and ethical considerations.

Main Results:

• Research on SMI mental health communication is nascent, with most studies published recently (2024+).
• Studies explored various influencer types, mental illnesses, and platforms, focusing on mapping the landscape, analyzing personal narratives, and identifying tensions and ethical dilemmas.
• Few studies were theoretically grounded, and empirical investigation of concerns about problematic content or negative behavioral impacts was limited.

Conclusions:

• The current body of research on social media influencer mental health communication is preliminary.
• There is a need for theoretically informed, longitudinal research to address critical concerns regarding content accuracy and behavioral outcomes.
• Future research should focus on developing and testing theories to better understand and guide SMI mental health messaging.