Young people's priorities for support on social media: “It takes trust to talk about these issues”

Abstract

Online interventions are viewed as having great potential for reaching youth in distress, but little is actually known about how well these interventions fit with young people's own priorities and practices with online support. This New Zealand-based research explored young people's use of social media to give and receive support in informal, peer networks. Data was collected through digital instant messaging interviews with 21 young people aged 16–21 years. A thematic analysis identified a range of priorities participants had for engaging in support online. These included the importance of establishing emotional safety; picking up subtle cues for distress; allowing the open expression of emotion; showing care; being tactful and sensitive to needs of others and developing on-going relationships. Those designing online interventions for youth in distress can learn from the way that young people already give and receive support online. Recognising the importance that young people give to trusting relationships as a prerequisite for engagement with online support has important implications for the development of interventions which can connect with young people.