3 research outputs found
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Motivational processes and dysfunctional mechanisms of social media use among adolescents: a qualitative focus group study
Childhood and adolescent experiences have undergone a major transition in interaction with digital technologies since the advent of smartphones. Following a needs assessment study, adolescent online uses and motivations for social networking site use were explored. Six focus groups (comprising 42 adolescent students of secondary schools in the UK) were recruited. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Six motivational themes emerged from the analysis, reflecting interactivity and need for control of content and relationships, exhibiting the dynamic nature of engagement with social networking sites: (i) symbiotic relationship with peers online via social media and smartphone attachment, (ii) digital omnipresence related to the need for control and loss of control, (iii) emotional regulation and enhancement, (iv) idealization versus normalization of self and others, (v) peer comparison and ego validation, and (vi) functionality - facilitation of communication functions. These findings offer an understanding of the key drivers of normative adolescent social media behaviour that go beyond the theoretical associations with Uses and Gratifications Theory and Self-Determination Theory, suggesting an additional alternative motivational factor for social media use, that of need to control relationships, content, presentation and impressions. This need may be underlying FoMO and nomophobia and could therefore be responsible for increasing engagement or compulsive use. These findings shed light on cognitive-emotive aspects that may be implicated in problematic use and may inform interventions targeting excessive or problematic screen time and specific social media use aspects that merit scientific attention
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Prevention priorities for online challenges and harms in adolescence and assessment of smartphone distraction: an emotive-cognitive perspective
Evidence suggests that problematic use of gaming, the internet and social media among adolescents is on the rise and developing into global growing issues affecting multiple cognitive, emotional and behavioural domains. How are these experienced and conceptualized among students, parents and teachers?
The first part of this thesis comprised two systematic literature reviews on school-based interventions for internet addiction and excessive screen time. Findings indicated the need to focus prevention beyond time spent into harms and challenges faced in adolescence through mental health literacy and skill development and by incorporating parent and teacher media literacy training.
Five qualitative studies followed as a qualitative needs assessment investigation. The frst analyzed key adolescent motivations for online engagement and highlighted control as a new motivational factor driving engagement. This study led to the development of the control model of social media engagement, proposing individual, social and environmental pathways from normative to potentially problematic online behaviours. Additionally, adolescent online harms were conceptualised by stakeholders as running on a severity continuum from benefits to harms beyond addiction. Parent and teacher perspectives informed key recommendations for media literacy education.
The second part of the present thesis involved two quantitative studies, addressed smartphone distraction impacting students' academic performance through the design of the first psychometric instrument within smartphone use. The final study encompassed the assessment of a brief online randomized controlled trial to curb smartphone distraction and findings indicated the efficacy of the intervention and the reduction of potentially probematic smartphone-related psychological constructs.
The present thesis addresses critical priorities and recommendations for online harm reduction in adolescence. Dissemination of findings are timely for media literacy in schools in the UK and other countries with policy intentions to safeguard for young people's emotional health. Assessing smartphone distraction contributes to the understanding of this emergent disruptive construct contributing to initiatives to enhance students' academic performance and well-being within higher education and work environments