Digital Lifelines: Exploring Mental Health Narratives and Help-Seeking Behaviors in Online Communities Among Filipino Domestic Helpers in Hong Kong SAR

Celebrado, Jan Erron

This article is a component of an ongoing dissertation project examining how foreign Filipino domestic helpers (FFDHs) in Hong Kong SAR, China, navigate and negotiate their access to formal and informal mental health support within transnational contexts. Specifically, this paper aims to: (1) identify primary causes of mental health issues among FFDHs, (2) characterize factors influencing their decision to seek mental health support in digital spaces, and (3) analyze how their narratives in digital spaces reflect and challenge intersecting power structures from local to global scales.

This exploratory study analyzed 49 Facebook posts published between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024, in two private online peer-support groups for migrant domestic workers. Posts were purposively selected using the search terms "depress," "stress," "anxiety," and "homesick." To safeguard user privacy, only published posts from anonymous members were included in the analysis. Reflexive thematic analysis, informed by a transnational feminist sociological lens, was utilized to identify recurring themes.

Preliminary findings reveal financial issues, employment-related concerns, and family-related problems in the Philippines as primary causes of mental health concerns for foreign domestic helpers. Their narratives also reflect how power structures at various scales intersect in their lives and mental health experiences, demonstrating how their mental well-being is intrinsically linked to their underappreciated role in the global care economy. Furthermore, the preliminary analysis indicates that online peer-support groups can serve as sites of transnational connection, highlighting the role of digital spaces in providing informal mental health support for migrant workers and potentially serving as avenues for connecting them to formal mental health services. The findings of this paper hope to contribute to discussions related to policy development, mental health service provision, and the conceptualization of transnational support networks for foreign domestic helpers.