Yasir Riady, Samsidar Samsidar, Kandi Kandi

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN INFLUENCING ADOLESCENT HEALTH BEHAVIOR: A REVIEW FROM PUBLIC HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVES

Introduction

The role of social media in influencing adolescent health behavior: a review from public health, psychology, and digital communication perspectives. Analyze social media's dual role in adolescent health from public health, psychology, and digital communication perspectives. It offers education but risks misinformation & stress. Emphasizes digital literacy.

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the role of social media in influencing adolescent health behaviors from the perspectives of public health, psychology, and digital communication. The method used was qualitative research with a descriptive approach, through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), observation, and analysis of social media content frequently accessed by adolescents. The results show that social media is a primary source of health information for adolescents and has a dual influence. On the positive side, social media encourages healthy lifestyles, increases motivation, and provides easy access to health education. However, on the negative side, it can spread misinformation, encourage extreme diets, and psychological stress due to social comparison and the fear of missing out. The multidisciplinary analysis confirms that public health views social media as an effective campaign tool, psychology highlights social and emotional influences, while digital communication highlights the importance of creative content and the risks of algorithms. This study emphasizes the need for strong digital and health literacy, as well as collaboration between health workers and influencers to optimally utilize social media as a means of adolescent health education.

Review

This paper presents a timely and highly relevant investigation into the complex role of social media in shaping adolescent health behaviors. Its primary strength lies in its ambitious multidisciplinary approach, integrating insights from public health, psychology, and digital communication. The stated methodology, employing comprehensive qualitative methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs), observation, and social media content analysis, promises a rich and nuanced understanding of this critical contemporary issue. The abstract effectively highlights the dual nature of social media's influence, recognizing both its potential for positive health promotion and its inherent risks. The study's findings reveal social media as a pivotal source of health information for adolescents, capable of both fostering healthy lifestyles and posing significant threats. The abstract clearly articulates how each disciplinary lens contributes uniquely: public health views it as an effective campaign vehicle, psychology emphasizes socio-emotional impacts like social comparison and FOMO, and digital communication underscores the importance of creative content and the risks of algorithms. This integrated perspective adeptly captures the multifaceted challenges and opportunities. The emphasis on digital and health literacy, alongside calls for collaboration between health professionals and influencers, offers actionable insights for policy and intervention development. While the abstract provides a compelling overview, there is a notable inconsistency that warrants clarification for readers. The title, "A REVIEW FROM PUBLIC HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGY, AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATION PERSPECTIVES," strongly suggests a *literature review*, yet the abstract explicitly describes original *qualitative research* employing empirical methods like interviews, FGDs, and observations. This discrepancy should be addressed, perhaps by revising either the title to reflect an empirical study or by clarifying that the "review" aspect pertains to the multidisciplinary *analysis* rather than the methodology itself. Additionally, for a qualitative study, providing some indication of the scope of the data collection, such as the number of participants in interviews or FGDs, would enhance the perceived robustness and help contextualize the findings. Despite this, the work promises to contribute significantly to understanding adolescent health in the digital age.

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