Gender Differences in Social Media Use, Academic Stress, and Socio-demographic Profiles among Social Work Students in Karnataka

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21336140

Ananthakumar C.S.¹ and Patwardhan Rathod² (Department of Social Work, Sri H D Devegowda Goverment First Grade College, Paduvalahippe, Hassan (D), Karnataka¹ and Department of Studies in Social Work, Davanagere University Shivagangothri, Tholhunase, Davanagere, Karnataka²)

Social media forms an important component in the lives of students, impacting their academics as well as psychological wellness. There exists high-level academic stress amongst Indian college students, specifically, those juggling studies with fieldwork, such as students pursuing social work. Although there are studies on the effects of gender differences in using social media and stress levels, there are no studies conducted in social work institutions in Karnataka. The study used a cross-sectional design to assess 370 students studying social work in Karnataka. The study involved them using purposive sampling. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire that included questions on socio-demographic factors, usage of social media sites, and stress due to academics. Academic stress was measured using a 30-question scale based on the DECORE-student survey. Most of the participants came from either rural areas or low socioeconomic status, with no notable difference among the genders in this demographic. There were no significant differences between the male mean of 10.34 and female mean of 10.13 regarding social media usage (p=0.464). Females had significantly higher means for reward-related stress (p=0.027) and control-related stress (p=0.004). Total academic stress was relatively higher in females, although not significantly so (p=0.129). Substances were used more frequently by males (p=0.001). The study highlights gender differences in stress and behavior, indicating the need for gender-sensitive academic and mental health interventions.