Study finds that Instagram is beneficial to the wellbeing of queer youth

There is much said about the negative impact of social media on mental health and general welfare, but a new study suggests that there are benefits too -- especially for minority and marginalized groups such as the LGBTQIA+ community.

In particular, Instagram has been found to be a boost to the wellbeing of queer young people. Surveys of Instagram users in the United States and Poland showed that access to supportive online communities brought about a range of psychological benefits.

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This latest research follows on from an earlier study that looked at how young people express themselves on social media, and whether self-expression on Instagram informs the process of identity development. While it is not clear how long the benefits of using Instagram to engage in accepting communities might last, even short-term relief from minority stress and stigma is to be welcomed.

The variety of attitudes regarding their sexualities experienced offline by those taking part -- including perceived stigma -- was found to be a key factor in queer young people seeking online communities for support, including social media platforms.

The authors of the report write:

Results suggest that whilst the interrelations between perceived stigma and engaging with accepting online networks may be short-lived, engaging with supportive Instagram communities may contribute to an upward spiral of positive emotions. Findings therefore extend the existing literature regarding the potential benefits of social media use amongst sexual minority youth.

One of the authors, Dr Edward Noon, is Senior Lecturer in Children, Young People, and Families at Leeds Trinity University and he is excited about the potential of the findings:

With this study, we sought to better understand how sexual minority youth could harness social media to enhance well-being. Our results suggest that social media can be an important environment for sexual minority youth to build community and find belonging. These findings can inform interventions that key stakeholders -- such as parents, educators and support networks -- can use to promote healthy social media use amongst young people.

It is hoped that the study could generate the necessary knowledge for social media companies to tailor their algorithms in ways that promote supportive resources and communities to young people who may benefit from online support

Image credit: Manuel Bejarano / Dreamstime.com