Salahaddine ARAHAL

Moulay Ismail University, Morocco

DOI : https://doi.org/10.47191/ijsshr/v7-i08-48

Google Scholar Download Pdf
ABSTRACT

The pervasive integration of Social Networking Sites (SNS) into daily life has sparked considerable academic interest, particularly concerning their intricate relationship with, and influence on, young adults. This study examines the psychological impacts of social networking sites (SNS) on high school students in the Zagora Directorate of Education, Morocco. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to gather comprehensive data from a sample of 75 students. The findings reveal a complex relationship between SNS usage and various psychological outcomes, including anxiety, depression, and social connectedness. Frequent SNS users report higher levels of anxiety and depression, compared to moderate and low users. Conversely, moderate SNS engagement is associated with enhanced social connectedness and peer support. Qualitative data suggest that the content and context of SNS interactions significantly influence these psychological effects. The study underscores the need for educational interventions and policy guidelines to mitigate the negative impacts while fostering the positive aspects of SNS use among adolescents, especially in a remote area such as Zagora. These insights contribute to a broader understanding of digital behaviour and its implications for youth mental health in educational settings.

KEYWORDS:

Social Networking Sites Psychological effects High school students Anxiety Depression Digital behavior Youth mental health

REFERENCES
1) Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. *Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13*(1), 210-230. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x

2) Carr, C. T., & Hayes, R. A. (2016). Social media: Defining, developing, and divining. *Atlantic Journal of Communication, 23*(1), 46-65. https://doi.org/10.1080/15456870.2015.97228

3) Chou, H. T. G., & Edge, N. (2012). “They are happier and having better lives than I am”: The impact of using Facebook on perceptions of others' lives. *Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 15*(2), 117-121. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2011.0324

4) Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. G. Heimberg, M. R. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), *Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment, and treatment* (pp. 69-93). Guilford Press.

5) Davidson, J., & Farquhar, L. (2014). Facebook: Social anxiety and social networking sites. *Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 7*(4), 291-296. https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v7i4.8847

6) Dobrean, A., & Pasarelu, C. R. (2016). Impact of social networks on children and adolescents' anxiety and depression. In L. N. Arcia (Ed.), *Psychology of Depression: New Research* (pp. 89-112). Nova Science Publishers.

7) Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook "friends": Social capital and college students' use of online social network sites. *Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12*(4), 1143-1168. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00367.x

8) Jiang, S., & Ngien, A. (2020). The effects of Instagram use, social comparison, and self-esteem on social anxiety: A survey study in Singapore. *Social Media + Society, 6*(2), 2056305120912488. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120912488

9) Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. *Business Horizons, 53*(1), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2009.09.003

10) McCarthy, M., & Morina, N. (2020). Social anxiety and social comparison: The role of Facebook. *Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 48*(1), 45-59. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465819000335

11) Mitchell, R. C., & Schmidt, G. (2014). The impact of social comparison on social media: A study of Facebook and the social interaction anxiety scale. *Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33*(10), 805-831. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.10.805

12) O'Day, E. B., & Heimberg, R. G. (2021). Social media use, social anxiety, and loneliness: A systematic review. *Computers in Human Behavior, 122*, 106839. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2021.106839

13) Qiu, L., Lin, H., & Leung, A. K. (2017). Cultural differences and switching of in-group sharing behavior between Facebook and WeChat. *Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 48*(8), 1197-1214. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022022117721327

14) Rapee, R. M., & Heimberg, R. G. (1997). A cognitive-behavioral model of anxiety in social phobia. *Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35*(8), 741-756. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(97)00022-3

15) Rozzell, B., Piercy, C. W., Carr, C. T., King, S., Lane, B. J., & Wright, K. B. (2014). Notification pending: Online social support from close and nonclose relational ties via Facebook. *Computers in Human Behavior, 38*, 272-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.06.006

16) Spitzer, R. L., Kroenke, K., Williams, J. B. W., & Löwe, B. (2006). A brief measure for assessing generalized anxiety disorder: The GAD-7. *Archives of Internal Medicine, 166*(10), 1092-1097. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.166.10.1092

17) Steers, M. N., Wickham, R. E., & Acitelli, L. K. (2014). Seeing everyone else's highlight reels: How Facebook usage is linked to depressive symptoms. *Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33*(8), 701-731. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2014.33.8.701

18) Sternberg, R. J., Mace, R. D., & Mace, S. D. (2020). The effects of social media on youth anxiety. *Journal of Youth Studies, 23*(1), 45-67. https://doi.org/10.1080/13676261.2019.1636040

19) Tao, D., & Cheng, C. (2018). Understanding the influence of social media on individual anxiety: A meta-analysis. *Internet Research, 28*(5), 1234-1256. https://doi.org/10.1108/IntR-06-2017-0255

20) Weeks, J. W., Heimberg, R. G., & Rudabaugh, T. L. (2008). The fear of positive evaluation scale: Assessing a proposed cognitive component of social anxiety. *Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22*(1), 44-55. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.08.002

Volume 07 Issue 08 August 2024