Active and passive social media use and self-stigmatisation among Chinese patients with gynecological disorders: the mediating role of social support
Abstract
This study explores how social media use affects people with stigmatised identities, looking into how different ways of using social media can change how people perceive social support and their mental health outcomes. Collecting data from 258 survey participants, the study shows that being active on social media can lessen self-stigma and increase feelings of emotional, informational, and appraisal social support. Even though using social media in a passive way doesn't directly reduce self-stigma, it can still help lower the psychological impact of self-stigma by making people feel more supported in terms of evaluation. Both emotional support and appraisal support play a big role in weakening self-stigma.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Social Media in Health Education
Impact of Technology on Adolescents
Mental Health Treatment and Access
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Behaviour and Information Technology
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 13
- Pages
- 3047–3060
- Publication date
- 5 January 2026
- Language
- EN