Hypothesis testing of the direct effect.

BackgroundSocial media have become vital tools for governments during public health crises, enabling the timely dissemination of critical information, health guidance, and public engagement. In China, public engagement through social media, particularly TikTok, presents unique challenges during crises. This study investigates the factors that predict public engagement via the Chinese government’s TikTok during a public health emergency, focusing on the roles of information quality, source credibility, multiple cues, immediate feedback, and trust as a mediating variable.MethodsThe study is grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) and Media Richness Theory (MRT) to frame the relationships between these variables. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey employing convenience sampling, involving 614 respondents aged 18–40 from Hebei Province, China. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses.ResultsThe findings indicate that information quality and immediate feedback are significantly positively associated with public engagement via the Chinese government’s TikTok. However, source credibility and multiple cues did not have a positive impact on public engagement. Additionally, the study reveals that trust mediates the relationships between information quality, source credibility, and immediate feedback with public engagement.ConclusionThese results underscore the importance of trust in fostering public engagement and highlight the potential for enhancing government communication strategies on social media during crises. The study suggests that improving the quality of information and providing timely feedback can significantly increase public engagement through social media platforms like TikTok, particularly in the context of public health emergencies.

背景
社交媒体已成为公共卫生危机期间各国政府的核心工具，能够及时传播关键信息、健康指引并推动公众参与。在中国，公共卫生危机期间通过社交媒体（尤其是TikTok）开展公众互动面临独特挑战。本研究旨在探究中国政府TikTok账号在公共卫生突发事件中，影响公众参与度的预测因素，重点关注信息质量、信源可信度、多重线索、即时反馈，以及作为中介变量的信任所发挥的作用。
研究方法
本研究基于精细加工可能性模型(Elaboration Likelihood Model, ELM)与媒介丰富度理论(Media Richness Theory, MRT)构建上述变量间的关系框架。研究采用便利抽样法，通过线上问卷调查收集数据，共纳入来自中国河北省的614名18至40岁受访者。本研究使用SPSS软件开展描述性统计分析，并采用结构方程模型(Structural Equation Modeling, SEM)对研究假设进行检验。
研究结果
研究结果显示，信息质量与即时反馈与中国政府TikTok账号的公众参与度呈显著正相关；但信源可信度与多重线索并未对公众参与度产生正向影响。此外，本研究发现信任在信息质量、信源可信度、即时反馈与公众参与度的关系中发挥中介作用。
研究结论
上述研究结果凸显了信任对于提升公众参与度的重要意义，同时强调了危机期间政府优化社交媒体传播策略的潜在价值。本研究提出，提升信息质量并提供及时反馈，可显著提高TikTok等社交媒体平台上的公众参与度，尤其在公共卫生突发事件场景下。