Exploring Adolescents\' Experiences of Self-Disclosing on Facebook When Distressed

Facebook provides adolescents with multiple opportunities to self-disclose information about themselves, one of the most prominent ones being a status update. This qualitative study expanded on existing research related to adolescent self-disclosure on Facebook by exploring ten adolescents' experiences of self-disclosing on a Facebook status when upset or distressed. Using thematic analysis, prominent themes emerged which included the decision making process in making such a post, concerns of privacy, impacts on peer relationships, perceptions and feelings of others, sense of community and support systems. Limitations of the study, clinical implications and suggestions for future research are also discussed.