Design, Implement, and Evaluate a Social Media Campaign for Youth Mental Health Awareness

Thesis Abstract

The escalating prevalence of mental health issues among youth populations necessitates innovative communication strategies to foster awareness and promote help-seeking behaviors. This study addresses the critical gap in effective social media interventions aimed at raising awareness of youth mental health challenges within digital contexts. The primary aim is to design, implement, and evaluate a targeted social media campaign that enhances mental health literacy, reduces stigma, and encourages positive behavioral change among young people aged 15 to 24 years. The specific objectives include developing a culturally sensitive content framework based on the Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behavior, deploying the campaign across selected social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Twitter), and assessing its impact through both quantitative and qualitative measures. Employing a mixed-methods research design, the study combines a pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental approach with thematic analysis of interview data. The population comprises 1,200 young social media users drawn from urban regions within the country, with a stratified random sampling technique used to select 600 participants for the intervention group and 600 for the control group. Data collection instruments include a validated mental health literacy questionnaire, stigma assessment scales, and campaign engagement analytics. To ensure validity and reliability, instruments are pretested and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients are maintained above 0.80. Quantitative data are analyzed using paired t-tests, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and multiple regression analysis to determine the campaign’s effect size and identify predictors of mental health attitudes. Qualitative data from in-depth interviews are subjected to thematic analysis using NVivo software, allowing for nuanced understanding of participants’ perceptions and experiences associated with the campaign. The anticipated findings are that the social media campaign will significantly improve mental health literacy scores (p<0.01), reduce stigmatizing attitudes (p<0.05), and increase intentions to seek help (p<0.01) in the intervention group compared to the control. Furthermore, engagement metrics such as likes, shares, and comment sentiment analysis will correlate positively with knowledge gains and attitude shifts, indicating the effectiveness of content design and dissemination methods. Thematic analysis is expected to reveal themes around increased awareness, destigmatization, and perceived support, further validating quantitative results. These outcomes will demonstrate that tailored, theory-driven social media campaigns can serve as viable strategies for mental health promotion among youth. This research contributes to existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the efficacy of social media interventions to influence mental health-related attitudes and behaviors in young populations. It extends theoretical applications of the Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behavior into digital health communication contexts, offering a comprehensive framework for future campaigns. Additionally, the study develops a replicable model of campaign design, implementation, and evaluation, which can inform policymakers, mental health practitioners, and communication strategists. The study concludes that well-structured social media campaigns, grounded in behavioral theories and utilizing engaging content, are effective in increasing mental health literacy and reducing stigma among youth. Recommendations include adopting participatory approaches involving youth in content creation, integrating campaign efforts with educational and health services, and utilizing analytics for continuous campaign refinement. Future research should explore longitudinal effects and scalability across diverse demographic groups, aiming to embed social media-based mental health promotion into broader public health strategies.