(PS12-84) Social Media Use Among Adolescents with Suicidal Ideation: Results from a Novel Real-time Social Media Data Collection and Interview Procedure

Social media use is nearly ubiquitous among adolescents, with the majority of youth reporting they use at least one social media platform (Pew Research Center, 2024). This dynamic social landscape is influencing how adolescents cope with mental health symptoms, yet research often overlooks the views of adolescents themselves, particularly among those facing significant mental health challenges. New approaches that center adolescent voices are needed to delve into motivations, risks, and benefits of social media use in this population. 

This exploratory study uses an innovative, real-time social media data collection and qualitative interview procedure to assess motivations for social media use among adolescents with a lifetime history of suicidal ideation or behavior. 

Thirty adolescents ages 14-17 (Mage = 15.6), 61% female, 88% white, and 23% Hispanic/Latino, were recruited from a psychiatric hospital setting as part of a larger, longitudinal study of social media use and suicidal ideation. The virtual social media data and qualitative interview procedure each lasted approximately 20 minutes. Participants shared their typical daily social media usage and identified their most frequently used platform (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, or TikTok). They then opened that application and followed a standard protocol to describe real-time content on their feed, their publicly shared posts, and messages with peers. Participants also noted what they like and dislike about social media, and the effect of social media on peers. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, with data analyzed using codes derived from the interview agenda; inductive and deductive approaches were used to identify themes. 

Results from analyzed interview transcripts will be presented. The following themes will be discussed: (1) “Double-edged sword” of social media as a coping tool: Participants stated that at times, social media served to relax or distract them from their negative emotions. Conversely, it also served to exacerbate negative thoughts and feelings. (2) Varying motivations for use: Participants shared various motivations for social media use, depending on a variety of internal and external factors, including entertainment, boredom alleviation, distraction, relaxation, peer communication, and coping with negative feelings. (3) Mental health-related content: Participants reported feeling frustrated, sad, or triggered when exposed to content related to depression, suicide, or self-harm. Some wished for such content not to appear on their feed or to be publicly available. When they encountered positive mental health content, like self-care videos and motivational speeches, they expressed a desire to engage further and share it with peers. (4) Relevance of algorithmic recommendations: Participants noted that some content on their feed accurately represented their typical use, reflecting their hobbies and interests, while other content was less representative, indicating variability in the accuracy of personalized content. Overall, results outline the myriad experiences adolescents have on social media, and highlight the need for more social media research that centers the perspectives of adolescents with mental health concerns.