Assessment of the Adverse Effects of Online Social Networking Sites among Late Adolescents

Introduction

The 21st century continues to be of user technological advance that has changed communication, socialization and private information versus public information. One such change is the prominence that social networking sites currently enjoy especially among adolescents.¹ Social networks sites are defined as “web-based services that allow individuals to construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system”. Social networking sites, which allows users to communicate with others in diverse forms, such as updating status, posting comments, sending messages and viewing information uploaded by others.² Social networking sites allow users to share ideas, activities, events and interests within their networks. Four most popular networking sites are currently Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp.³

These websites provide users with simple tools to create a custom profile with text and pictures. A typical profile includes basic information about the user at least one photo and possibly a blog or other comments published by the user. Advanced profiles may include videos, photo albums, online applications (in Facebook) and leave comments directly on friend’s profiles. These features provide the building blocks for creating online communities.³

Many studies show that in India most of the adolescents are over users of social networking sites. Major consequences are social networking addiction, Facebook depression, sleep deprivation, insomnia and restlessness and it will spoil their study and future. Most of the adolescents do not know about the consequences or effect of social networking sites.⁴

There is an increasing concern from educators, psychologists and parents about the negative effects of using the Internet on the physical (e.g., information fatigue syndrome), cognitive (e.g., inability to discriminate between the real and cyber world) and social development (e.g., identity confusion) of children which are detrimental to social development (hurting children's skills and patience to conduct necessary social relations in the real world), which is a huge problem. One of the most serious concerns regarding children's social development involves the proliferation and easy accessibility of negative content on the Internet such as pornography, violence, hate speech, gambling, sexual solicitation and so forth. It is easy to see how these types of negative content harm children and destroy their development. Parents are becoming aware of many disadvantages of social networking sites including their effect on a child’s ability to concentrate. Constant online communication affects children, making it difficult for them to communicate and concentrate when they are away from the screen. It is important for parents to monitor their children's online social interactions and place a time limit on how long they can spend on the computer.⁵

So, this study was conducted on late adolescence age group 15 to 19 years intending to know the level of awareness on the social issues and how far social networking awakening is present among adolescents and to know the negative effects of using social networking sites. And this study was intended to study the usage and adverse effects of social networking sites among late adolescents. It was important to determine whether or not social networking sites had any impact on student engagement and achievement.

Materials and methods

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Study place: Selected JSS Institutions of Mysuru district.

Study Duration: Six Months

Sample size: 239

Sampling technique and study population:

Convenient sampling technique was used. The students studying in 10th standard 1st year PUC, 2nd year PUC and 1st year degree who were present on the day of data collection and who gave voluntary consent were included in the study.

Inclusion criteria:

Students between the age of 15-19 years. (Studying in 10th standard, 1st PUC, 2nd PUC and 1st year degree)

Exclusion criteria:

Students who are not members of online social networking.

Study setting and Method of collection of data: Informed consent obtained from the study participants during the data collection procedure. Socio-demographic characteristics considered using a structured proforma and structured knowledge questionnaire regarding adverse effects of internet addiction used to assess the knowledge level of adolescents of class 10th standard, 1st PUC, 2nd PUC and 1st year Degree college students in selected JSS Institutions of Mysuru district, Karnataka. 

Self-administered pretested semi structured questionnaire in English and translated to Kannada language was used for data collection. Data was collected regarding socio demographic characteristics like age, class, education of parents, occupation of parents, and socio-economic status of the study participants.

Online social networking sites questionnaires was used to collect data on social networking sites usage and its adverse effects. DASS (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale) was used to assess the mental health status of the study participants.

Statistical analysis

Data entry was done in Microsoft Excel 2013 and analysis was done using SPSS v25.0 (Licensed to JSS AHER). Descriptive statistics like percentages, frequencies, the mean and standard deviation were used. Chi-square test was used to test the association between two categorical variables. p<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Ethical clearance was obtained from IEC, JSS Medical College.

Results

A total of 239 students from 10th standard to 1st year BSc took part in the study. Majority of the study participants were from 1st BSc 90 (37.6%) and around 50 each in all other classes of study, age of the study participants in 62 (25.6%) was 17 years, 57 (23.8%) was 23.8% among them males were 126 (52.7%). Regarding father’s education of study participants, 62 (25.9%) had studied till primary school, 52 (21.8%) had studied till high school. Educational status of mother’s of study participants was 88 (36.8%) had studied till primary school, 52 (21.8%) till middle school. Majority of the study participants 89 (37.2%) had> `84096 of per capita yearly income. Pocket money of the study participants was <1000 among 128 (53.5%) followed by 68 (28.4%) were given pocket money of > `4000. Students staying with parents were 189 (79%), paying guests as the residence was 36 (15%). [Table 1]

Facebook was the most used social networking site 168 (70.2%) followed by WhatsApp 161 (67.3%). Usage of social networking sites per week was 5-10 hours in 84 (35.1%) followed by <5 hours in 74 (30.9) of the study participants. Social networking sites hampering their study was 67 (28%) and 93 (38.9%) felt insecure while using social networking sites. [Table 2]

Assessment using DASS scale revealed that 74 (31%) had moderate depression, 97 (40.6%) had moderate anxiety and 32 (13.4%) had mild stress. [Table 3]

On applying chi-square test to test the association between adverse effects due to social networking usage and its associated factors father’s education was statistically significantly associated with adverse effects (p<0.001). The association of other factors were not statistically significant. [Table 4]

Discussion

Present was done among 239 late adolescent school and college-going students. Majority of the study participants were from 1st BSc 90 (37.6%) and around 50 each in all other classes of study, age of the study participants in 62 (25.6%) was 17 years, 57 (23.8%) was 23.8% among them males were 126 (52.7%). Regarding father’s education of study participants, 62 (25.9%) had studied till primary school, 52 (21.8%) had studied till high school. Educational status of mother’s of study participants was 88 (36.8%) had studied till primary school, 52 (21.8%) till middle school. Majority of the study participants 89 (37.2%) had more than `84096 of per capita yearly income. Pocket money of the study participants was less than 1000 among 128 (53.5%) followed by 68 (28.4%) were given pocket money of more than `4000. Students staying with parents were 189 (79%), paying guests as the residence was 36 (15%).

In the present study of assessing the social networking sites adverse effects, it was revealed that 70.7% of participants had adverse effects.

In a study done by Saxena S et al 6 420 students had adverse effects, wrist pain (36.1%) students, headache (28.7%) and (38.9%) had eye irritation during social networking activities. There was a significant association between back pain, shoulder pain, wrist pain and social networking hours.

In the present study, students used Facebook (70.2%), WhatsApp (67.3%), Instagram (39.7%) and Twitter (8.3%)

Neeru Saini Et all7 study shows that usage of Facebook (97%), WhatsApp (80%) among students.

In the present study, 30.1% students spent less than 1 hour daily, 26.7% spent for about 1-2 hours/ day, 15.4% students use for about 2-3 hours/day and 27.6% students spent more than 3 hours/ day on social networking sites.

Ndidi et al8 study shows that 39% students use SNSs for about 1 hour each day, 52% of respondents use it for about 2-4 hours/ day, 5% use it about 5-7 hours/ day and 4 % respondents use SNSs for about 8-10 hours each day

In the present study assessment using DASS scale revealed that 74 (31%) had moderate depression, 97 (40.6%) had moderate anxiety and 32 (13.4%) had mild stress.

Barman L et al9 in their study saw that 24% reported depression and 68.5% had stated anxiety. The finding of the study was 18% of the study subjects often wake up early or went to bed late at night to spend more time on SNSs.

Conclusion

Adverse effects due to social networking usage among late adolescents are high in our study. This has also affected their mental health as rates of depression and anxiety are also high.

Recommendations

Repeated reinforced awareness programmes to be conducted regarding the adverse effects of excessive usage on late adolescents mental health as well as its effects on their studies. Parents and guardians should be made aware of their children’s habits, social networking sites, internet and smartphones usage. Also screen time and the contents they see on the internet and social networking sites need to be monitored.