Annual Review of Cybertherapy and Telemedicine 2011 B.K. Wiederhold et al. (Eds.) IOS Press, 2011 © 2011 The Interactive Media Institute and IOS Press. All rights reserved. doi:10.3233/978-1-60750-766-6-133
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Online Social Networking Amongst Teens: Friend or Foe? Bridianne O’DEAa,1 and Andrew CAMPBELLa a The University of Sydney, Australia
Abstract. The impact of Internet communication on adolescent social development is of considerable importance to health professionals, parents and teachers. Online social networking and instant messaging programs are popular utilities amongst a generation of techno-savvy youth. Although these utilities provide varied methods of communication, their social benefits are still in question. This study examined the relationship between online social interaction, perceived social support, self-esteem and psychological distress amongst teens. A total of 400 participants (Mage = 14.31 years) completed an online survey consisting of parametric and non-parametric measures. No significant relationship was found between online interaction and social support. Time spent interacting online was negatively correlated with self-esteem and psychological distress. While previous research has focused on young adults, this study examines the impact of online social networking on emerging teens. It highlights the need for continued caution in the acceptance of these utilities. Keywords. adolescents, online social networking, psychological wellbeing
Introduction With over 500 million users connecting every day, online social networks are transforming the nature and process of human relationships. Traditional social interaction is now replicated online as a result of increased Internet access, particularly amongst youth. The Internet has come to represent not only an informational tool, but also a space where teens can offer and receive support [1]. Online social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook and MySpace have vastly augmented the ability of individuals to interact, regardless of demographic or geographic restrictions [2]. The popularity of these utilities, combined with their ability to bridge offline and online connections, creates a unique context for exploring the changing nature of adolescent socialization and the implications for their wellbeing. In adults, recent studies have demonstrated that online social networking does not lead to closer emotional relationships offline [3]. It has also been found that time spent on SNS is not related to individual wellbeing [4], or an increase in social network size [5]. Whilst SNS develop social capital [6] and encourage self-disclosure [7], these utilities also provide a space for negative interactions. Declining or ignoring friend 1
Corresponding Author: Bridianne O’Dea, Faculty of Health Sciences, Cumberland Campus, The University of Sydney, Australia; E-mail:
[email protected].
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requests and ranking the importance of friends through site applications were found to be detrimental to offline relationships [8]. Interpersonal relationships may also be subjected to increased jealousy and distrust as a result of SNS activity [9]. These findings highlight both positive and negative experiences associated with the use of online SNS. With previous research focusing on young adults and above (18+), little is known about the impact of online social interaction on younger teens (13-16). Adolescent selfesteem can be affected by the tone of feedback received from online social profiles [10]. However, the effect on social support is unknown. Adolescence is a crucial developmental phase where meaningful friendships begin to emerge. Teens experiment with various social behaviors and experience different emotional responses than those of older adolescents and adults [11]. The aim of this study is to explore the effect of online interaction on social support, self-esteem and psychological distress amongst emerging adolescents. It was hypothesised that online social interaction would have no effect on social support, but would be negatively correlated with self-esteem and psychological distress.
1. Method 1.1. Sample and Procedure A total of 400 participants (54.8% female; Mage= 14.31 years, SD = 1.16 years) completed an online survey under the supervision of a researcher. Some questions were relevant to only a subsample, therefore n varies for different analyses. The study received ethics approval from the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics committee. In this sample, 76.8% of participants (n = 181) had private access to the Internet. The home was the main location of Internet access (80.3%) and there was an average of 2.88 (SD: 1.60) computers in each household. A total of 73.7% rarely or never asked for their parent’s permission before accessing the Internet. 1.2. Measures The online survey consisted of three psychometric measures including the Multidimensional Scale for Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) [12], Self-Esteem scale [13] and the K6 for psychological distress (K6) [14]. It also included questions relating to Internet use and activity. The MSPSS is a 12-item scale that divides into three scores relating to the source of social support including family, friends and significant other. It is answered on a seven-point scale ranging from very strongly disagree (1) to very strongly agree (7). Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem questionnaire is a uni-dimensional, selfreported scale. Consisting of 10 items, questions are answered on a four-point scale ranging from “strongly agree” (3) to “strongly disagree” (0). The K6 scale was used to
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measure how frequently (during that past 30 days) participants experienced symptoms of non-specific psychological distress. Using a five-point scale, answers range from “all of the time” (1) to “none of the time” (5).
2. Results Table 1 shows the psychometric properties of the self-reported outcome measures. Table 1. Psychometric Properties of the Self-reported Outcome Measures. Range Potential Actual
n
M
SD
á
MSPSS Family Friend Sig. Other Total
377 377 377 377
21.17 21.58 21.87 64.62
6.00 5.60 5.89 15.37
.91 .92 .92 .94
4-28 4-28 4-28 12-84
4-28 4-28 4-28 12-84
-1.16 -1.35 -1.34 -1.50
Self-Esteem
371
19.04
4.91
.85
0-30
0-30
-.259
Psychological Distress
370
22.52
4.74
.85
6-30
6-30
-.818
Variable
Skew
As some variables were heavily skewed, Mann Whitney-U tests were used to compare males and females in their psychometric scores. Females reported significantly higher social support from significant others (M: 22.92, SD: 5.35) compared to males (M: 20.54, SD: 6.27) [p < .001]. Females also reported significantly higher levels of social support from friends (M: 22.86, SD: 4.57) compared to males (M: 19.98, SD: 6.33) [p
