College students' responses to mental health status updates on Facebook

Issues Ment Health Nurs. 2013 Jan;34(1):46-51. doi: 10.3109/01612840.2012.718044.

Abstract

Facebook is widely used by the college population, and previous research has shown that mental health references on Facebook are common. Focus groups of college students were held to determine their views of mental health references seen in their peers' Facebook profiles. Students' views of mental health references varied from being serious calls for help, to being jokes or attention-seeking behavior. Responses to mental health references depended on the participants' offline relationship with the poster. Students would contact close friends through a phone call or in-person conversation, but would not approach acquaintances. The prevalence of mental health references on Facebook, and the awareness of these references by college students, may present opportunities for future peer intervention efforts.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attitude to Health*
  • Awareness
  • Female
  • Focus Groups
  • Humans
  • Interpersonal Relations
  • Male
  • Mental Disorders / diagnosis
  • Mental Disorders / nursing*
  • Mental Disorders / psychology*
  • Peer Group*
  • Social Media*
  • Students / psychology*
  • Wisconsin
  • Young Adult