The Role of Social Media in Shaping Self-esteem, Social Awareness, and Academic Achievement in Adolescents

Description

Page: 99-103

Sakshi Singh and Neerja Pandey (Amity Institute of Behavioural and Allied Sciences (AIBAS), Amity University Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)

Social media refers to digital platforms and applications that enable users to create, share, and interact with content and connect with others. It allows individuals and organizations to communicate, exchange ideas, and engage in online communities. Social media platforms include websites and apps like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and YouTube, where users can post text, images, videos, and other forms of media. It also includes features like liking, commenting, sharing, and messaging, helping users build social connections and interact in real time. This study examined the influence of social media on adolescent self-esteem, social awareness, and academic achievement using a quantitative, cross-sectional, and comparative research design. Data was collected from 100 school students between the age of 13 -17 years in Uttar Pradesh, categorized as Users and Non-Users of social networking portals. Self-esteem was assessed using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965, social awareness through the Social Awareness Questionnaire (SAQ) developed by Elliott and Gresham (1990) and Social Media Engagement Questionnaire (SMEQ) was developed by Przybylski, Murayama, DeHann, and Gladwell (2013). It used to measure the frequency, duration, and purpose of social media usage and academic achievement via school records. Statistical analyses, including chi-square tests, t-tests, and multiple regression, revealed that social media usage was positively associated with social awareness but negatively correlated with self-esteem and academic performance. Users exhibited higher engagement in social issues but reported lower self-esteem due to social comparison. Additionally, excessive social media use contributed to academic procrastination and lower GPAs. The study highlights the need for digital literacy programs, parental supervision, and policy interventions to promote responsible social media use and mitigate negative effects.