Mental health messages on TikTok: Analysing the use of emotional appeals in health-related #EduTok videos

Abstract

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate how health educators use emotional appeals on the social media site TikTok to promote well-being, engage audiences and reduce mental health stigma.

Design/Method:

Our research team conducted a quantitative content analysis of 400 TikTok videos centred on health education. We evaluated the frequency of mental health content compared with general health education content and associated views, engagement and use of emotional appeals.

Results:

Mental health content frequently appeared in #EduTok health videos and earned significantly greater reach than general health content. However, videos discussing mental health earned less engagement and relied less on emotional appeals. Mental health content mainly relied on affiliation, hope and sorrow message appeals, although the presence of these appeals did not significantly affect engagement. General health content utilised personal stories, expert credentials and emotional appeals more frequently than mental health content.

Conclusion:

Evidence from this research suggests that mental health educational content underperforms general health videos and underutilises emotional appeals on TikTok. Health educators must critically analyse and adjust message strategies to enhance audience reception, taking note of success across health topics. We discuss the implications for how practitioners can use TikTok to reduce stigma and promote positive mental health with emotionally engaging content, especially among young audiences.