RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Digital mental health and hidden support: a qualitative analysis of non-suicidal self-injury communities on TikTok
A1 Martínez-Pastor, Esther
A1 Blanco-Ruiz, Marian
A1 Sanmartín Feijóo, Sandra
K1 Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI
K1 Self-harm
K1 Digital mental health
K1 Online peer support
K1 Social media platforms
K1 TikTok
K1 Adolescents and young adults
K1 Social media influence
K1 Salud mental
K1 Mental health
AB This study examines the digital representation of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI)on TikTok, with particular attention to the emergence of online communitiesand the communicative strategies users employ to share content while evadingplatform moderation. As TikTok becomes increasingly influential amongadolescents and young adults, understanding how sensitive mental healthtopics like NSSI circulate on the platform is critical for developing effectivedigital health interventions. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 400posts referencing NSSI, collected using a mixed-method approach: 25.5%using TikTok’s official API and 74.5% via the “For You” feed of a simulatedaccount designed to mirror organic user experience. Posts were selectedbased on visual indicators (e.g., scars, tools), textual cues (e.g., hashtags,metaphors), and thematic references to emotional distress, recovery, orrelapse. The analysis focused on user profile characteristics, linguistic strategies,and audiovisual aesthetics. Findings reveal a loosely structured yet emotionallyresonant digital community characterized by subcultural codes, such aseuphemisms, ambiguous hashtags, and stylized imagery. Despite contentmoderation policies, most accounts remained active and visible, with minimalenforcement of warnings or restrictions. While some posts portray NSSI as acoping strategy or seek to normalize the behavior, others subtly encouragerecovery or offer indirect support. However, explicit messaging thatdiscourages self-harm is notably rare. These dynamics suggest that TikTokunintentionally enables both the concealment and dissemination of self-harmrelated content, functioning as a space for affective connection but also as avector for potential normalization of harmful behaviors. The study underscoresthe need for targeted, ethically grounded prevention strategies that address notonly the psychological functions of these communities but also thealgorithmic infrastructures that sustain their visibility. These findings contributeto ongoing debates about digital mental health, platform responsibility, and thedesign of safer online environments.
PB Frontiers
YR 2025
FD 2025-10
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10259/10989
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10259/10989
LA eng
NO The author(s) declare that financial support was received forthe research and/or publication of this article. This article hasbeen funded by the project: Media Representation of Self-Harmin Minors in the Media and Social Networks (PID2021-124550OB-I00) of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain).
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 19-abr-2026