Seeking Help From Trusted Adults in Response to Peers’ Social Media Posts About Mental Health Struggles: Qualitative Interview Study Among Latinx Adolescents

Abstract

Background Rather than confiding in adults about their mental health struggles, adolescents may use social media to disclose them to peers. Disclosure recipients are tasked with deciding whether to alert an adult and, if so, whom to alert. Few studies have examined how adolescents decide on a trusted adult to help a friend who posts on social media about his/her mental health struggles. Moreover, Latinx adolescents are underrepresented in research on social media use, which creates gaps in understanding how social media may influence their well-being. Objective This qualitative study presents findings from semistructured interviews with Latinx adolescents to investigate how they seek out trusted adults when a friend posts on social media about their mental health struggles. Specifically, we sought to determine which adult ties they activated, the resources they believed the adult could provide, and the support they expected the adult to provide. Methods We recruited participants through a nonprofit organization serving the Latinx community (primarily of Mexican origin) located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We conducted 43 semistructured interviews, each lasting 60-90 minutes, with Latinx adolescents (25 females, 18 males) aged 13-17 years. All interviews were conducted in English, at the adolescents’ request. Using a grounded theory approach, we identified the nature of the relationship between the trusted adult and either the disclosure recipient or distressed friend, and the resources and support the trusted adult is expected to provide. Results Participants nominated adults who were emotionally or physically proximate to either the disclosure recipient or distressed friend, particularly parents (of the recipient and friend) and school staff. However, some felt that not all parents and school staff were emotionally proximate. Adolescents sought trusted adults with access to two resources: experiential knowledge and authority. Some, particularly males, avoided adults with authority because of the risk of punishment and others thought their immigrant parents did not have relevant experiential knowledge to assist them. Interviewees felt that trusted adults with either resource could provide emotional and instrumental support either directly or indirectly, while those with experiential knowledge could provide informational support. Notably, interviews did not problematize the fact that the disclosure occurred on social media when deliberating about adults. Conclusions To assist a distressed friend posting on social media, Latinx adolescents look not only for trusted adults who are emotionally and physically proximate but also those who have key resources that facilitate support. Efforts should focus on connecting adolescents with trusted adults and training adults who hold positions of authority or experiential knowledge to offer both direct and indirect support. Additionally, efforts should consider how immigrant experiences shape parent-child relations and address the potential long-term consequences of oversurveillance of Latinx youth, particularly males, by school staff for their access to social support.

Disconnection More Problematic for Adolescent Self-Esteem than Heavy Social Media Use: Evidence from Access Inequalities and Restrictive Media Parenting in Rural America

“…But we also recognize that our sample is not representative. Minorities are underrepresented in research on adolescent use of social media and mental health, the unique experiences and context of minority adolescence may diverge from our findings (Campos-Castillo et al, 2021). It may also be that the implications of disconnection are more severe for rural youth.…”

Adolescent suicide prevention program recommendations from Latina immigrant mothers: “Starting with the word”.

“…Caregivers are critical in suicide prevention, especially for Latino adolescents in the United States (Boyas et al, 2019; Campos-Castillo et al, 2021; Gulbas & Zayas, 2015; O’Gara et al, 2022). However, few suicide prevention efforts target Latino caregivers, and even fewer consider their needs and preferences when developing those programs (Leong & Leach, 2010; Villarreal-Otálora et al, 2019).…”

Protective factors for multiple forms of interpersonal violence experienced by adolescent Latinas.

“…Campos-Castillo et al (2021) found that Latinx adolescents sought out mental health support from trusted adults with experiential knowledge, authority, and close emotional and physical proximity to the adolescents. Their findings also showed that having immigrant parents influenced the type of support the adolescents sought out due to unique barriers, making it imperative that Latinx adolescents receive the proper type of instrumental and emotional support from trusted adults that are not their parents (Campos-Castillo et al, 2021). In this study, the Latina participants may have had trusted adults who did not provide the resources and support they needed to protect against peer victimization.…”

“…Another consideration that may have influenced this association is the nature of the relationship between Latina adolescents and their trusted adults. Campos-Castillo et al (2021) found that Latinx adolescents sought out mental health support from trusted adults with experiential knowledge, authority, and close emotional and physical proximity to the adolescents. Their findings also showed that having immigrant parents influenced the type of support the adolescents sought out due to unique barriers, making it imperative that Latinx adolescents receive the proper type of instrumental and emotional support from trusted adults that are not their parents (Campos-Castillo et al, 2021).…”