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Support over Social Media among Socially Isolated Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Rural U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities for Intervention Research

Author

Listed:
  • Sana Karim

    (Learning Sciences Research, Digital Promise 1001 Connecticut Ave NW #935, Washington, DC 20036, USA)

  • Sophia Choukas-Bradley

    (Department of Psychology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA)

  • Ana Radovic

    (Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
    Center for Enhancing Treatment & Utilization for Depression & Emergent Suicidality (ETUDES), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA)

  • Savannah R. Roberts

    (Department of Psychology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA)

  • Anne J. Maheux

    (Department of Psychology, Dietrich School of Arts & Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA)

  • César G. Escobar-Viera

    (Center for Enhancing Treatment & Utilization for Depression & Emergent Suicidality (ETUDES), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
    Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA)

Abstract

Sexual and gender minority (SGM) rural adolescents are at risk for higher levels of social isolation, a well-known risk factor for depression and other negative health outcomes. We qualitatively examined how rural SGM youth seek emotional and informational support, which are protective factors for social isolation on social media (SM) regarding their SGM identity, and determined which SM platforms and tools are most effective in providing support. We conducted semistructured online interviews with rural SGM teens who screened positive for social isolation in spring 2020 and used a thematic analysis approach to analyze the data. Sixteen youths participated in interviews. Themes included seeking emotional support through SM groups and communities, seeking emotional support in designated online SGM spaces, using SM feeds for informational support, and disclosing SGM identity differentially across platforms. SM-based interventions could be leveraged to provide emotional and informational support for rural SGM youth across specific SM platforms and consider whether they are providing emotional or information support. Interventions focused on informational support may best be used on content-based platforms. Those designed to combat social isolation and connect marginalized SGM youths to similar others might benefit from community and forum-based platforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Sana Karim & Sophia Choukas-Bradley & Ana Radovic & Savannah R. Roberts & Anne J. Maheux & César G. Escobar-Viera, 2022. "Support over Social Media among Socially Isolated Sexual and Gender Minority Youth in Rural U.S. during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Opportunities for Intervention Research," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15611-:d:982810
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Beata Dziedzic & Paulina Sarwa & Ewa Kobos & Zofia Sienkiewicz & Anna Idzik & Mariusz Wysokiński & Wiesław Fidecki, 2021. "Loneliness and Depression among Polish High-School Students," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    2. James P. Bagrow & Xipei Liu & Lewis Mitchell, 2019. "Publisher Correction: Information flow reveals prediction limits in online social activity," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(2), pages 195-195, February.
    3. Vivian Isaac & Teresa Cheng & Louise Townsin & Hassan Assareh & Amy Li & Craig S. McLachlan, 2021. "Associations of the Initial COVID-19 Lockdown on Self-Reported Happiness and Worry about Developing Loneliness: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Rural, Regional, and Urban Australian Communities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-11, September.
    4. James P. Bagrow & Xipei Liu & Lewis Mitchell, 2019. "Information flow reveals prediction limits in online social activity," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 3(2), pages 122-128, February.
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