This study conducted a cross-sectional online survey ( N = 865) to determine whether self-ratings of depression and anxiety, perceived peer support, and perceived health benefits of social media predicted mental health–related information seeking and sharing behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hierarchical regression models showed only depression self-ratings, anxiety self-ratings, and perceived health benefits predicted information seeking, whereas depression self-ratings, anxiety self-ratings, perceived peer support, and perceived health benefits all predicted information sharing. There was a statistically significant positive interaction of anxiety self-ratings and perceived peer support on information sharing. Participants’ experience of COVID-19 predicted both information seeking and sharing. Mental health–related information seeking and sharing differed across social media platforms, with YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram used most for information seeking and Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter used most for information sharing. Findings suggest social media mental health–related seeking and sharing behaviors have the potential to facilitate coping surrounding mental health.

This study examined mediatized death and emotion, specifically parasocial grieving, toward high-profile celebrity Stephen Hawking’s death from a global perspective. A thematic analysis of public tweets explored how social media mourners expressed parasocial grieving following Hawking’s death and how that shaped mediatized global flows of emotion in terms of digital affect culture. Findings showed varied forms of mediatized emotional responses associated with parasocial grievings, such as sadness, shock, confusion, love, and longing. Mourners also adopted varied coping mechanisms, including individualized tributes, reminiscing, memorializing, and advocacy. Findings suggested that Hawking’s mourners performed parasocial death rituals on Twitter as a legitimate public space of mourning. Findings contribute to parasocial grieving scholarship and mediatization of death and emotion.

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