PERSEPSI FOLLOWERS GENERASI Z TERHADAP PESAN KOMUNIKASI EDUKASI KESEHATAN MENTAL PADA AKUN INSTAGRAM @SOCIALCONNECT.ID

Abstract

This research is motivated by the increasing use of Instagram as a medium for
disseminating information including mental health education which is widely
accessed by Generation Z. The study aims to describe and analyze the perceptions
held by Generation Z followers regarding mental health education communication
messages on the @socialconnect.id Instagram account. It employs Joseph A.
DeVito’s Perception Theory encompassing the stages of selection, organization,
and interpretation as its primary framework, supported by Uses and Gratifications
Theory to explain media usage motives. The study utilizes a constructivist paradigm
with a descriptive qualitative approach. Data were gathered through in-depth
interviews with two informants, observation of content on the @socialconnect.id
Instagram account, and document analysis, followed by processing using the
interactive analysis model developed by Miles, Huberman, and Saldana. The results
indicate that followers actively select content aligned with their information needs
and emotional states, organize information by linking it to their existing experiences
and knowledge, and interpret the messages as beneficial education that influences
their perspectives and behaviors regarding mental health. The study concludes that
the @socialconnect.id Instagram account serves as a health communication
medium capable of fostering understanding and raising mental health awareness
among Generation Z followers through the delivery of relevant educational
messages, even though users maintain a critical stance toward information obtained
via social media.