Leveraging social media for social protection

Study-abroad experiences often present significant challenges that can lead to stress and emotional upheaval among international students. In response, social media networks have emerged as vital tools for accessing social protection services in today's digital landscape. This study explores the role of social media in providing emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal support for international students at foreign universities. Anchored in social learning theory, the findings reveal that social media networks have a substantial and positive impact across all four dimensions of social protection. This study highlights that students' activeness and perceived utility of social media are critical factors in seeking emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal support. Interestingly, while the reliability of social media is a crucial consideration for those seeking instrumental and appraisal support, it is less significant for those seeking emotional and informational assistance.