Discourse on #MentalHealth on X/Twitter

Analysis of Topics and Their Impact

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.6010

Keywords:

mental health, X / TWitter, engagement, thematic analysis, awareness campaigns

Abstract

This study analyzes the discourse on mental health on X (Twitter) through the Spanish hashtag #saludmental over six months (July-December 2022), aiming to identify main themes, their temporal evolution, and generated engagement. A total of 3,172,605 messages were collected using the v2.0 academic API and the AcademicTwitteR library in R, focusing on 855,408 original posts. Clustering by word frequency and Naive Bayes classification via Claude 3.7 Sonnet AI on Julius.ai identified 12 themes (e.g., General Mental Health, Anxiety and Psychology). Temporal patterns, Pearson correlations, text mining (MDS, k-means), and engagement (likes, retweets) were analyzed. General Mental Health dominated (45.8%), followed by General Reflections (13.6%) and Anxiety and Psychology (11%). Peak activity occurred in October due to World Mental Health Day. Personal Experiences and Loneliness, and Abandonment generated the highest engagement despite low volume. High correlation between Wellness/Anxiety (0.99); Loneliness low with others (0.09). Emotional and personal content drives interactions more than general themes, confirming prior studies. Campaigns like World Mental Health Day boost volume but not sustained engagement. Workplace mental health and care emerge in clusters; loneliness remains isolated, requiring targeted strategies. Emotional quality trumps quantity for effective engagement. Commemorative events catalyze debate but need follow-up. Recommendations: prioritize personal narratives, integrate loneliness, and contextualize in work settings for optimal campaigns. Future research should expand time periods.

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Author Biographies

Jesús Díaz-Campo, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja

Depute Vice-Rector of Research, Vice-Director of the Doctoral School and Professor at Universidad Internacional of La Rioja. Previously, Director of Master in Communication and Corporate Identity and Secretary of the Research Ethics Committee at Universidad Internacional de la Rioja (2016-2019). Phd on Media Ethics. Currently interested on Social Media and Journalism, Media Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility, Health Communication

Sergio Arce-García, Universidad Internacional de La Rioja

Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor and Researcher at the International University of La Rioja (UNIR). PhD in Humanities and Communication from the University of Burgos, with an extraordinary doctorate award. Degree in Chemistry from the University of Valladolid. He teaches at the School of Engineering and Technology of UNIR, where he also researches communication (study of media and social networks using machine learning techniques and network theory). Accredited by Aneca as a Senior Lecturer Professor. Recognised for a six-year research period.

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Published

2026-04-30

How to Cite

Díaz-Campo, J., & Arce-García, S. (2026). Discourse on #MentalHealth on X/Twitter: Analysis of Topics and Their Impact. Prisma Social Journal, (53), 57–71. https://doi.org/10.65598/rps.6010

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