Emotional Narratives in the TikTok Era: A Comprehensive Analysis of Comments on Self-Help Videos

This study explores the role of TikTok in shaping emotions and communicative dynamics within the broader context of digital culture. The research is grounded in a theoretical framework that traces the shift from a linear communication model to a participatory and convergent ecosystem, characterized by user-generated content and horizontal interaction. Drawing on the concept of digital affordances, the analysis examines how comments on TikTok serve as a crucial dimension, simultaneously driving the algorithmic visibility of content and fostering the construction of social bonds. The study employs a quantitative, descriptive approach, conducting content analysis across three dimensions (syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) on a corpus of 4206 comments drawn from four self-help videos by influencers Irene Albacete, Daniel Habif, and Yoroi. Additionally, a structured survey of 336 participants, based on a Likert scale, was administered to assess perceptions and emotions associated with these contents. The findings reveal that comments function as interaction multipliers that amplify algorithmic dissemination, generating opportunities for democratizing visibility while also posing risks of reinforcing echo chambers and cognitive biases. Moreover, TikTok demonstrates a dual emotional impact: while it fosters supportive communities and enhances socioemotional skills, it can also intensify challenges such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and large-scale negative emotional contagion. In conclusion, TikTok emerges as a central arena of contemporary digital experience, where algorithmic logic and user participation coexist within a landscape of tension between inclusion and risk. These findings underscore the need for conscious, critical engagement with digital platforms, as well as the ethical responsibility of algorithmic systems in shaping social and emotional life in the digital era.