YIFAN OU

Media Practitioners to Media Scholars
(1)Phd candidate,Department of Communication,Faculty of Social Science,University of Antwerp
(2)Founder of Beijing Ou Yifan Culture Co., Ltd.
(3)Assistant professor (tenure track and permanent contract), Organizational Committee Member of the university, Jiangsu Second Normal University
(4)Chinese media professionals.
(5)Chinese Mandarin Tester; Jiangsu Province Radio and Television Arts Entrance for University Examination Judge

My doctoral thesis primarily focuses on the relationship between social media use and mental health, especially by analyzing user behavior and content on social media platforms to explore how social media reflects and influences individual mental health status. 

Research Background and Significance

With the widespread adoption of social media, an increasing number of people are sharing information related to their lives, emotions, and health on these platforms. This abundance of data provides rich material for studying the relationship between social media use and mental health. By analyzing user behavior and content on social media, we can better understand the early signs of mental health issues, changes in social emotions, and the potential role of social media in mental health interventions.

Overview of the Papers

Paper One: Social Media as an Emotional Barometer: Analyzing Public Sentiments During Influenza A on Sina Weibo This paper will investigate the emotional expressions of the public on Sina Weibo during the influenza A outbreak by employing sentiment analysis techniques. We will utilize natural language processing technologies to analyze posts published by users, extract emotional tendencies and emotional themes, and thereby understand the public's emotional responses in public health events. The study will demonstrate that social media can serve as an emotional monitoring tool, helping us to promptly capture changes in public sentiment and providing references for public health interventions.

Manuscript: Social Media as an Emotional Barometer: Analyzing Public Sentiments During Influenza A on Sina Weibo

Paper Two: Analyzing Anxiety Symptoms on Sina Weibo During the Influenza A Season  This paper will focus on analyzing the anxiety symptoms expressed by users on Sina Weibo during the influenza A season. By employing keyword extraction techniques, we will identify content related to anxiety and explore the expression patterns and influencing factors of these symptoms.

Manuscript: Diurnal Rhythms and Full-Cycle Dynamics of Anxiety Symptoms During the Influenza Season: What Mental Health Landscape Did Social Media Monitor?

Paper Three: The planned third paper will further explore the dynamic relationship between social media use and mental health. 

Research Methods

Natural Language Processing (NLP) Techniques: Sentiment analysis, topic modeling, and keyword extraction are used to analyze textual data on social media.

Cross-sectional or Longitudinal Studies(planning): Survey data are combined to explore the impact of social media on mental health from different dimensions.

Research Objectives
Through this doctoral research, we aim to:
  • Gain a deep understanding of how social media reflects and influences mental health.
  • Propose social media-based strategies for mental health monitoring and intervention.
  • Provide new insights and methods for research and practice in the fields of public health and mental health.