“PM me” or “LOL”: Young peoples’ observations of supportive and unsympathetic responses to distress on social media

Highlights：

• Expressing distress in youth social media networks can elicit supportive or unsympathetic responses.

• Young people identify encouragement and offers to talk as supportive responses.

• Minimising distress or making jokes about it are recognised as unsympathetic responses.

• Recognising supportive and unsympathetic responses to distress is important to young people's online emotional safety.