UNSTRUCTURED
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated substance use among teenagers in the United States, aligning with escalating mental health challenges and broader societal impacts. Recognizing a gap in understanding teenagers’ perspectives on this issue, this study investigates discussions within the r/Teenagers subreddit. By employing a frame approach, we systematically categorize topics and emotional undertones using BERT models, analyzing over 2 million posts from 2018 to 2022. Our analysis identified six primary frames through which teenagers discuss substance use, including psycho-social impacts (52.1%), external risk attribution (21.3%), addiction (16.3%), stigma (5.3%), institutional impact (2.5%), functional uses (2.2%). The emotional undertones linked to each frame offer insights crucial for developing tailored interventions. This study offers insights in developing tailored interventions that resonate with teenagers, contributing to more effective health communication strategies.