The impact of YouTube peer feedback on attitudes toward recovery from non-suicidal self-injury: An experimental pilot study

Abstract

Background Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious public health concern facing adolescents and young adults worldwide. Despite growing concern that accessing NSSI content on the internet may negatively influence perceptions toward NSSI recovery, no studies have examined actual impacts. Objectives This experimental pilot study assessed the impact of exposure to hopeless versus hopeful peer messages on perceptions toward NSSI recovery. It was hypothesized that exposure to hopeless messages would lead to more negative perceptions about NSSI recovery whereas the opposite would occur for hopeful messages. Methods We developed fictional peer comments embedded in a screenshot of an NSSI-themed YouTube video and randomly assigned participants to either hopeless or hopeful recovery-oriented comments. Participants’ attitudes toward NSSI recovery, recovery-oriented subjective norms, and recovery self-efficacy were measured pre- and post-exposure using an online questionnaire. Results Sixty-one participants with a self-reported NSSI history (mean age 20.89 years) completed the online survey. There was a statistically significant effect for attitudes toward recovery. Within the hopeful comment condition, there was an increase in positive attitudes toward recovery and in recovery-oriented subjective norms. Participants exposed to hopeless peer messages did not report an increase in hopeless attitudes toward NSSI recovery. Conclusions Our pilot study indicated that exposure to hopeful online messages improved positive attitudes toward recovery and recovery-oriented subjective norms, while exposure to hopeless messages did not increase hopeless attitudes. Future research on the impacts of online peer comments on one’s attitude toward NSSI recovery and support-seeking behavior could further inform practices and policies.

“I just finally wanted to belong somewhere”—Qualitative Analysis of Experiences With Posting Pictures of Self-Injury on Instagram

“…Over-reporting of negative comments in the current study might be an indication of those comments having a very high emotional impact on affected adolescents and might pose a risk-factor for worsening of mood, increased feelings of rejection and therefore possibly increasing or persisting NSSI. On another note, in a recent experimental study, participants who were exposed to hopeful comments under NSSI content on YouTube showed a significant increase in their attitudes towards recovery, while negative comments did not show a negative effect (27). As adolescents keep posting pictures on social media despite the risk of being verbally harassed, the effect of positive feedback and social support (with possible positive effects on recovery) should be further explored.…”

Can acute suicidality be predicted by Instagram data? Results from qualitative and quantitative language analyses

“…Within the network of participants posting pictures of NSSI, universal preventative measures could be implemented, as a large number of those young people seem to be at risk for suicide. Furthermore, there seems to be a potential for using social media in a protective way, as it has recently been shown that fictional peer comments, can have an impact to positively change attitudes towards recovery from NSSI [42].…”

Media guidelines for the responsible reporting and depicting of non-suicidal self-injury

“…For example, research examining online NSSI content indicates that NSSI is often portrayed using hopeless tones that emphasise emotional pain without mention of encouragement of recovery; in other cases, NSSI is presented as an acceptable means of coping with emotional pain. 1,5 Hence, mention of alternative means of coping is rare. Such portrayals, especially if repeatedly accessed, may lead to continued NSSI and thwarted help-seeking efforts.…”