INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON SELF- CONCEPT AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Technological advances have been said to reduce the world into a global village thereby easing communication. By virtue of these, an online social community via the social media or Social Networking Sites (SNSs) has been birthed out. With the penetration of internet globally, billions of people are able to interact regardless of their location, race, gender or age. Young people (teenagers/adolescents) have particularly been observed to be very active on social media. The interactions and activities they engage in on social media can have either positive or negative influence on their self-concept and their social behaviour. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of social media use on the selfconcept and social behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were: to establish the popular social media platforms among adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, to investigate ways in which adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County access and use social media platforms, to determine the influence of social media use on the self-concept of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, and to examine the influence of social media use on the social behaviour of adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County. The study was modelled on Carl Roger’s humanistic theory of personality, which posits that the experiences that one encounters in their life and how one interprets them do influence the self. Mixed methods research design was employed for the study. The target population for this study was 11,525 secondary school students and 50 teachers. The sample size was arrived at by applying stratified random sampling to select 25 schools from a total population of 246 secondary schools in the county. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to sample adolescents active on social media; n=375 and 2 teachers from each of the selected schools, thus totalling to 50 teachers to participate in the study. A questionnaire, interview schedules and focus group discussions were used for data collection. The instruments were tested for construct, content and face validity. Their reliability was ascertained through the test retest method. Data collected was analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Quantitative data was analysed descriptively and expressed using frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, ANOVA tests and Pearson correlation tests at < 0.01 significance level, to describe the characteristics of the sample population and presented in tables. Qualitative data got analysed by classifying responses in respect to their strength and priority to do thematic analysis. Data coding, entry and analysis was aided by SPSS software version 26. The study found out that social media was popular among adolescents in secondary schools in Uasin Gishu County, with 94.1% being familiar and active on it. There was a significant relationship between social media use and self-concept at ρ=0.409 p-value<0.01, however, the aspects of purpose of using social media, frequency of use and time spent on the platforms negatively correlated with the self-concept of adolescents. Social behaviour correlated positively with social media use at ρ=0.309 p-value <0.01. There was no significant relationship (ρ=0.071p-value <0.01) between social behaviour and purpose of using social media. However, frequency of use and time spent on the platforms negatively correlated with social behaviour. The study concluded that social media was a popular agent of socialization in the digital age and its consumption influenced the self-concept and the social behaviour of adolescents. The study also recommends vigilance on the part of stakeholders concerning the risks involved with social media use by adolescents.