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Effect of TikTok Mental Health Content on Mental Health Awareness among University Students in Nigeria

Abstract

Social media platforms have become increasingly important sources of health information among young adults, including university students in Nigeria. TikTok, through its short-form video format, provides users with rapid access to mental health-related content covering topics such as depression, anxiety, stress, suicide prevention, self-care, psychological wellbeing, and mental health services. Although such content may increase exposure to mental health information and encourage discussion of psychological wellbeing, the quality, accuracy, and reliability of information shared on the platform may vary considerably. Exposure to inaccurate, oversimplified, stigmatizing, or misleading mental health content may contribute to misconceptions and inappropriate interpretations of mental health conditions. Against this background, this study investigates the effect of TikTok mental health content on mental health awareness among university students in Nigeria. The study will be anchored on the Uses and Gratifications Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and the Health Belief Model. The Uses and Gratifications Theory explains how students actively select and use TikTok content to satisfy information, entertainment, social interaction, and personal learning needs. Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the influence of observational learning, social modelling, peer interaction, and repeated exposure to information on students' knowledge, beliefs, and behaviours. The Health Belief Model explains how exposure to mental health information may influence students' perceptions of susceptibility, severity, benefits of appropriate mental health practices, barriers to seeking assistance, and cues to action. Collectively, these theoretical perspectives provide a suitable framework for explaining how TikTok mental health content may influence mental health awareness among university students in Nigeria. The study will adopt a quantitative analytical cross-sectional or quasi-experimental research design. The study population will comprise undergraduate students who use TikTok and are enrolled in selected public and private universities across Nigeria. A multistage sampling technique will be used to select states, universities, faculties, departments, and eligible students. Exposure to TikTok mental health content will be measured using indicators such as frequency of TikTok use, frequency of exposure to mental health videos, duration of exposure, types of mental health content viewed, engagement with content through likes, comments, shares, and saves, following of mental health-related accounts, exposure to professional versus non-professional content creators, perceived credibility of content, and exposure to mental health awareness campaigns. Mental health awareness will be assessed using indicators such as knowledge of common mental health conditions, recognition of symptoms and warning signs, understanding of mental health risk factors, awareness of suicide warning signs, knowledge of mental health promotion strategies, awareness of available mental health services, recognition of psychological distress, understanding of mental health misconceptions, and knowledge of appropriate help-seeking options. Data will be collected using structured questionnaires, validated mental health awareness instruments, and selected TikTok content exposure measures. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize students' demographic and academic characteristics, TikTok usage patterns, exposure to mental health content, and levels of mental health awareness. Inferential statistical techniques, including chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and logistic or multiple regression analysis where appropriate, will be used to determine the effect of TikTok mental health content on mental health awareness. Diagnostic tests will also be conducted to assess the reliability, validity, and robustness of the findings. The study is expected to find that exposure to relevant and credible TikTok mental health content has a significant positive effect on mental health awareness among university students in Nigeria. Students with greater exposure to accurate and informative mental health content are expected to demonstrate improved knowledge of common mental health conditions, recognition of symptoms and warning signs, awareness of available mental health services, and understanding of appropriate help-seeking options compared with students with limited exposure. Short-form videos, relatable explanations, personal experiences, educational campaigns, and professionally developed content may make complex mental health information more accessible and engaging to university students. However, misinformation, self-diagnosis content, sensationalized presentations, stigmatizing messages, unqualified content creators, algorithm-driven exposure, and oversimplification of complex mental health conditions may reduce the educational value of TikTok content and contribute to misconceptions. The study therefore expects exposure to accurate, evidence-based, and professionally developed TikTok mental health content to contribute significantly to improved mental health awareness among university students in Nigeria. The study is expected to contribute to the literature on social media and mental health, TikTok mental health content, mental health awareness, university students, digital health education, health communication, social media literacy, mental health promotion, and public health in Nigeria. The findings will provide useful information to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission, universities, counselling centres, public health practitioners, mental health professionals, digital health educators, social media content creators, development partners, and policymakers regarding the use of social media platforms for mental health promotion. The study will also provide evidence-based recommendations for promoting credible mental health content on TikTok, strengthening digital mental health literacy among university students, encouraging collaboration between mental health professionals and social media educators, addressing misinformation, and developing responsible social-media-based mental health awareness programmes across Nigerian universities.

Keywords: TikTok mental health content, mental health awareness, university students, social media, digital health education, mental health literacy, health communication, social media literacy, mental health promotion, Nigeria, public health.