Ethics for Mental Health Influencers: MFTs as Public Social Media Personalities

Mental health professionals as influencers on TikTok and Instagram: What role do they play in mental health literacy and help-seeking?

“…Instagram provides the ‘stories' functionality at the top of a profile to include disclaimers and crisis support information. Triplett ( Triplett et al, 2022 ) poses an important question, if Mental Health influencers do not make the limits of social media clear, for instance not including a disclaimer, what are the assumptions that the public are making about their availability, their ability to help and the boundaries of their interactions. Previous research has found that many young people seek help when in crisis and are looking for available options 24/7, and it is thus important to consider what assumptions are being made in relation the support they can receive from mental health influencers ( Pretorius et al, 2019b ).…”

“…However, this did not appear to impact the number of followers when comparing influencers who had verified status and those who did not. There is likely an inferred element of credibility as the public assumes these individuals are in a position of authority because of their assumed education and licensed credentials ( Triplett et al, 2022 ). Followers often feel connected to influencers and often form a ‘parasocial’ relationship with them and many commercial brands often work with influencers to improve the authenticity and trustworthiness of a brand, making them a powerful and valuable resource ( Guo et al, 2020 ).…”

“…There is a growing number of mental health professionals who use social media to share mental health related content and information that would usually be shared in a therapeutic setting with the broader public. They are known as mental health influencers ( Triplett et al, 2022 ). Influencers are individuals who have a reputation as having expertise in a particular area or topic.…”

“…Innovative ways to improve mental health literacy and help-seeking need to be explored. The stigma surrounding mental health negatively impacts help-seeking and it has been found that individuals are now starting to seek help in spaces with which they are already familiar, such as social media ( Pagnotta et al, 2018 ; Gere et al, 2020 ; Triplett et al, 2022 ). It offers a means to overcome the traditional barriers to help-seeking such as lack of access (including cost and location), a preference for self-reliance and the avoidance of stigma ( Scott et al, 2022 ).…”

Therapist + Social Media = Mental health influencer? Considering the research focusing upon key ethical issues around the use of social media by therapists

“…Whilst we do not intend to critique specific posts that have been made, it is notable that, whilst professional titles may increase credibility, the general public may not understand the difference between various types of therapist or know how to confirm the therapist is actually qualified to provide the advice that they dispense (Triplett et al, 2022). Smith et al (2021) consider competence as connected to therapist use of social media in two ways.…”