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| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2016 | Volume
: 12
| Issue : 1 | Page : 7-9 |
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Effectiveness of social networking sites on loneliness among adolescents
Anumol Josep
Lecturer, Vijay Marie College of Nursing, Hyderabad, India
| Date of Web Publication | 17-Jun-2019 |
Correspondence Address:
Anumol Josep
Lecturer, Vijay Marie College of Nursing, Hyderabad
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.4103/2231-1505.260551
Social network services are web-based and provide means for users to communicate over the internet. Social networking sites allow users to show ideas, activities, events and interests within their individual networks. A study was conducted with the aim to assess the effect of social networking sites on loneliness of adolescents. The study was conducted in Narayana Junior College, Shamshabad, Hyderabad, Telangana. The sample size was 60 were in the age group from 15-17 years, purposive sampling technique was used to recruit samples for the study. A structured questionnaire comprising of 30 questions was used to collect the data from the subjects. The result of the study revealed that 96.6% of adolescents had moderate loneliness, 3.4 of adolescent had severe loneliness and none of the samples reported to have mild loneliness which is indicative that adolescents suffer from loneliness which often goes undetected. The study concluded that with the knowledge of influences of social networking site on mental health, the nurses through awareness and education at the primordial and primary level of prevention can help to arrest loneliness at the earliest.
Keywords: Adolescents, Loneliness, Social networking sites
How to cite this article:
Josep A. Effectiveness of social networking sites on loneliness among adolescents. Indian J Psy Nsg 2016;12:7-9 |
| Introduction | |  |
Technology has made humans detached from their family, friends and acquaintances so has the internet. A teenager does internet surfing for different purposes such as working on home work, playing computer games sending and receiving email, and predominantly social media. This phenomenon shows that computer has become the all-timefavorite for adolescents after television. The concept of sociability has gained worldwide appreciation with the emergence of social networking sites particularly among adolescents1.The interpersonal communication has been replaced slowly by online communication. The use of social networking sites has not been limited to interaction with friends only but it is becoming the preferred way of communication with parents and teachers. The trend is further accelerated with the use of smart phone by students which include almost all the features of a computer[1]
A social networking service is an online service, platform, or site that focuses on building and reflecting of social networks or social relations among people, who for example, share interests and/or activities. Most social network services are web-based and provide means for users to interact over the internet. Social networking sites allow users to show ideas, activities, events and interest within their individual networks [2]
Among other mental health symptoms, “Facebook depression” was a term used by Melville when pre-teens and teens spend large amounts of time using social media sites and then develop depression. He stated that this phenomenon occurs when others do not accept the individual online or the individual does not feel connected online[3].
| Materials and Methods | | |
A quantitative descriptive research design was used for the study. 60 subjects from Class XI and Class XII from Narayana Junior College, Shamshabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, selected by purposive sampling technique. The tool for data collection was a structured questionnaire. Reliability was (r-1.03) indicating perfect reliable, which was calculated by Karl Pearson’s method. For checking content validity the tool was given to 7 experts in field of Psychiatry, Psychiatry Nursing and Psychology. The tool is divided into two categories. Part-A : It consists of items related to demographic variables such as age Religion, education, type of social networking site mode of using social networking site, frequency of using social networking site, number of contacts in social networking site reasons for using social networking site.
Par t-B : It consists of 30 questions related to effect of social networking sites on loneliness. The scores were interpreted in three categories, Mild loneliness-1-30, Moderate loneliness-31-60 and Severe loneliness-61-90. The minimum possible score-1 and maximum possible score-90.
| Results | | |
As given in [Table 1] most (48.5%) participants were of 16 years, most subjects (83%) were Hindus. More than half (55%) of the adolescents were in 11th standard, 81% were social networking site users, half of them were facebook users. Most of the adolescents (38.3%) accessed social networking sites thrice a day. Smart phones were popular mode of 81.6% subjects. More than 151-200 contacts/friends were seen as maximum through social networking sites constituting 58.3%. There were 46.6% study subjects using social networking site primarily for seeking information. | Table 1: Frequency and percentage distribution of sample characteristics (n=60)
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As given in [Table 2] the possible range of score is 1-90 and the obtained score range 37-62. The mean value investigators found is 50.85, median is 51.5, mode is 49 and standard deviation is 5.6. | Table 2: Mean, Median, Mode, SD and possible range of score and range of obtained score of the effect of Social Networking sites on loneliness (n =60)
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As given in [Figure 1]: that the pie chart shows that 96.6% (58) adolescents suffered from moderate loneliness, where as 3.4% (2) members suffered from severe loneliness and surprisingly none of the adolescent reported my loneliness.
As given in [Table 3] that there is no significant relationship between type of social networking sites used and frequency of social networking siteand loneliness. The calculated Fisher’s Exact value and obtained probability value is greater than 0.05 level of significance. However the number of contacts in SNS and loneliness there is significant relationship at 0.05 level of significance, hence, there is significant relationship between number of contacts in social networking site and loneliness. | Table 3: Association between the selected demographic variables and loneliness n=60
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| Discussion | | |
A similar study intended to explore the impact of removing SNS usage, Sheldon et al[4] deprived 1,002 university students of Facebook usage for 48 hours. During the 48-hour period, students displayed reduced aggression toward others, reduced procrastination, reduced negative affect with others, and increased life satisfaction. However, it was noted that participants showed an increased use of Facebook at the end of the 48-hour period as a means to cope with feelings of disconnection. The present study revealed that majority proportion i.e.,96.6% had moderate loneliness and severe loneliness accounted 33% surprisingly no adolescents reported no loneliness. However other parameters like aggression, procrastination and life satisfaction was not assessed.
As per the previous study which was conducted by LaRose[5], it was revealed that participants who work sites had low academic attachment motivation and performance. However, in the present study academic achievement was not assessed.
A qualitative study was done by Block he noted some of the consequences for Internet usage included social isolation, fatigue, and feelings of anger. The study utilized a phenomenological research design to explore the perspectives of participants. Analyzed interviews of eight university students identified five themes: Connecting with others, feelings (emotive responses) resulting from social networking site usage, compulsive use of social networking sites, preferring to have offline relationships, and communication using social networking sites being easier than offline communication. In the present study, quantitative approach was used only revealed that majority proportion i.e.,96.6% had moderate loneliness and severe loneliness accounted 33% surprisingly no adolescents reported no loneliness[6].
| Conclusion | | |
The nurses are the frontline providers of care. With the knowledge of influences of social networking site on mental health, the nurses through awareness and education at the primordial and primary level of prevention can help to arrest loneliness at the earliest. Loneliness often goes undetected and unnoticed but has the risk of developing depression
| References | | |
| 1. | Brayant JA. Social Networking website and adolescents. Journal of computer mediated communication [online] 2015[cited on 2015 March. Available from http://www.jcmc.india.com  |
| 2. | Boyd DM .Personality and Motivation associated in Facebook.computer mediate communication[online]2013[cited on July 4]. Available from : http://www.jcmc/indian.com |
| 3. | |
| 4. | Sheldon, K. M., Abad, N., &Hinsch C.A two-process view of Facebook use and relatedness need-satisfaction: Disconnection drives use, and connection rewards it.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.100 (4): 766-775 |
| 5. | Larose R, Emotional response during social information seeking on Facebook. CyberpsycholBehavSoc Netw.2010; 13(5):555-62. |
| 6. | Block, J. J. Connecting with Others: A Qualitative Study of Online Social Networking Site Usage.The Practitioner Scholar: Journal of Counseling and Professional Psychology . 2013; 2(0):52-66 |
[Figure 1]
[Table 1], [Table 2], [Table 3]
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