Between Expression and Empathy: Exploring Depression Narratives and Emotional Engagement on Egyptian YouTube

This study examines how YouTube functions as a digital environment for representing, engaging with, and emotionally responding to depression-related content in the Egyptian context. Adopting a mixed-methods design, it integrates quantitative mapping of content with qualitative interpretation to explore how ordinary users and influencers co-construct narratives and emotional communities around mental health.A total of 424 videos were initially analyzed to identify content sources and engagement patterns (views, likes, comments). From this dataset, a purposive subsample of 49 videos—produced by ordinary users and influencers during 2024—was thematically analyzed to uncover recurring topics and narrative frames surrounding depression. Furthermore, a stratified proportional sample of 1,000 comments was subjected to sentiment analysis to capture the emotional tone of user interactions.Findings indicate that user-generated videos addressed eight key themes and six communicative purposes related to depression, reflecting efforts to normalize discussion, share experiences, and provide emotional reassurance. Positive sentiments dominated the audience responses, suggesting a prevailing culture of empathy and peer support within YouTube’s mental health discourse.Methodologically, the research introduces the Sample Tree Model , an integrative framework linking quantitative and qualitative layers of analysis—content mapping (roots), thematic interpretation (trunk), and emotional response (branches). This model offers a novel perspective for capturing both the structural and affective dimensions of digital interaction. The study contributes to understanding how social media platforms can serve as culturally grounded spaces for emotional expression, destigmatization, and community-based mental health support in Arab societies.