Social media use and social connectedness among adolescents in the United Kingdom: a qualitative exploration of displacement and stimulation.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Connectedness to family and peers is a key determinant of adolescent mental health. Existing research examining associations between social media use and social connectedness has been largely quantitative and has focused primarily on loneliness, or on specific aspects of peer relationships. In this qualitative study we use the displacement hypothesis and the stimulation hypothesis as competing theoretical lenses through which we examine the complex relationship between social media use and feelings of connectedness to family and peers.

Methods

In-depth paired and individual interviews were conducted with twenty-four 13-14-year-olds in two inner-city English secondary schools. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, coded and thematically analysed.

Results

Ana

SUBMITTER: Winstone L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8464110 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature