Exploring the Relationship Between YouTube Content Creators' Microcelebrity Status and Mental Health

Abstract

Mental health disorders (MHDs) are among the leading cause of global ill health and disability. Research on MH of social media (SM) content creators is sparse. This study aims to assess whether being a microcelebrity YouTuber has an impact on one's MH. A survey of international YouTubers garnered participants aged 18 to 45 years, mostly male and white. Most common motivations to become a YouTuber were entertainment, and joy/passion. Most were not professionally diagnosed with a MHD; they reported that YouTube use had no effect on symptoms of said conditions. A significant relationship was shown between MH status and YouTube effect on MH status, as well as MH status and life satisfaction. While study findings present minimal impact of YouTubing on MH, this is likely due to our small sample size. Future research on microcelebrity may be beneficial for all SM users, including youth increasingly showing interest in SM and its careers.