Relationship between LinkedIn Engagement, Perceived Stress, and Self-esteem in Indian University Students

Description

Page: 575-578

Tushar Kaul¹, Koteshwar Ramesh Rakesh², and Samina Bano³ (Santosh Medical College and Hospital, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh¹, Synapse International, New Delhi²,  and Department of Psychology, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi³)

The emergence of professional social networking platforms such as LinkedIn has reshaped how students navigate career development and social interaction. Yet, empirical evidence regarding LinkedIn’s psychological impact on student well remains scarce, particularly in the Indian context. This study investigated the associations between LinkedIn use frequency, self-esteem, and perceived stress among 101 Indian university students aged 18-25 years. Participants completed an online survey measuring LinkedIn use (frequency and duration), self-esteem via the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and perceived stress using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Descriptive analyses indicated that 45.3% of respondents used LinkedIn rarely, 29.2% once or twice weekly, 11.3% every other day, and 14.2% daily. Mean PSS-10 scores (M = 22.36, SD = 6.12) reflected very high stress levels, while mean self-esteem scores (M = 15.72, SD = 3.45) fell within the normal range. Pearson correlations revealed a significant positive association between LinkedIn use frequency and perceived stress (r = .226, p < .05), whereas no significant relationship emerged between LinkedIn use and self-esteem (r = .134, p > .05). These findings suggest that more frequent LinkedIn engagement may exacerbate stress through social comparison and performance pressure, without substantially affecting self-esteem. This study contributes novel insights into LinkedIn’s role in student mental health and highlights directions for future inquiry.