Assessment of the Adverse Effects of Online Social Networking Sites among Late Adolescents

Abstract

BackgroundnbspMore than 90 adolescents between 15-19 years have access to the internet in India. Most of the adolescents in India are over users of social networking sites SNSs. Major consequences are social networking addiction Facebook depression sleep deprivation insomnia and restlessness.ObjectivesnbspTo assess the adverse effects of online social networking sites usage and factors associated with it among late adolescents.MethodologynbspThis is a cross sectional study done among 239 late adolescents of selected JSS Institutions in Mysuru. Data was collected using a pre-tested semistructured questionnaire. Online social networking sites questionnaires was used to assess social networking sites usage and DASS scale was used to assess depression anxiety and stress. Data was analysed using IBM SPSS v25. plt0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsnbspAmong 239 participants 70.7 had adverse effects due to SNSs usage. Facebook usage was 70.2 WhatsApp 67.3 Instagram 39.7. 30.1 used SNSs for lt1hourday 26.7 for 1 to 2 hoursday 15.4 2-3 hoursday and 27.6 gt3hoursday. On DASS 57.3 had depression 77.4 had anxiety and 14.2 were having stress. Association between fatherrsquos occupation and adverse effects due to SNSs usage was statistically significant.ConclusionsnbspThe adverse effects due to social networking usage was high in our study participants along with higher rates of anxiety and depression.