When YouTube-Specific Content Feels Positive

This paper examines the prospective associations among positive verbal and physical expressions in YouTube-specific content, children's parasocial relationships, the quality of their offline peer relationships, and parents' perceptions of YouTube's role in child development. We conducted a three-wave longitudinal survey combined with a content analysis of 97 parents with children aged four to 6. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), we found that positive verbal and physical expressions in YouTube-specific content at Year 1 were significantly associated with children's parasocial relationships at Year 2. Parasocial relationships at Year 2 were negatively associated with the quality of children’s offline peer relationships at Year 3 but positively associated with parents’ perceptions of YouTube in the same year. By linking expressive features in YouTube-specific content to children's parasocial relationships and subsequent peer relationship quality and parental perceptions, the findings provide insight into how media environments may shape early social development.