#Virally Virtuous A Multimodal Case Study of a Young Thai Influencer Addressing Dhamma for Mental Health Among Gen Z via TikTok
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Abstract
Generation Z is facing a critical mental health crisis exacerbated by excessive social media use. Such a challenge leads to the use of TikTok, the most prevalent platform among this demographic, to promote mental well-being and create a community of care. This research aims to scrutinise the digital communication strategies employed by a Thai Gen Z Dhamma influencer on TikTok to heal youth through spiritual advice.
Applying Multimodal Social Semiotics and Social Construction of Reality, this qualitative thematic content analysis explores 192 posts of Wanida Boonprasert[1] on her “wni.inbuddh” TikTok account from 2022 to 2024. The study reveals the five key communication strategies: inclusive rhetoric and hashtags; simplified Dhamma guidance and testimonials; Q&A and community building; and multimodal communication.
These techniques harmoniously integrate Buddhist teachings into the modern world, compatible with Gen Z’s learning interests, underscoring the relevance of Multimodal Communication, in creating supportive virtual mental health spaces among young audiences, which could potentially be transformed into sustainable offline Dhamma communities. This is a remarkable milestone in advancing mental wellness remedies tailored within the Thai socio-cultural context through TikTok application. The research showcases a novel tactic delivering critical insight for mental health practitioners, content producers, and researchers. The project brings to forth multimodality as a comprehensive lens in mastering the complicated occurence in the current digitalised world.
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