Communicating Calm: Exploring the Role of Social Media Framing in Positive Psychology-based Anxiety Self-help

Considering that anxiety is prevalent among college students and tends to be addressed through social media for emotional support. Existing research has overlooked the influence of information presentation formats on reception outcomes. This study utilises mental health-related posts on Chinese social media platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu as case examples, employing qualitative analysis and literature reviews to explore how different emotional styles in social media content (e.g., emotional tone, visual presentation, and information design) affect users' experiences of online mental health information. Results suggest that calm tones and simple visuals help create supportive experiences, whereas highly stimulating designs or rigid language may increase stress. Although positive psychology can promote well-being, its effectiveness depends on balanced expression that acknowledges negative emotions. The findings point to a gap between engagement-driven design and users emotional needs, underscoring the importance of more adaptive approaches. These results provide practical guidance for developing empathetic digital interventions and contribute to understanding how message framing operates in social media environments.