Social media use and academic, social, and career development among college students with disabilities

Abstract

Objective This study explores the use of social media and its impact on the college life of students with disabilities. Participants 341 college students who identified as having disabilities were recruited from two universities in the Northeastern United. Methods Multivariate multiple regression models examined the relationship between social media use and academic achievement, social connectedness, and work preparedness. Results The findings indicate that students’ GPA was not associated with any social media use variables, but the time spent on using social media was negatively associated with the work hope and social connectedness. Social media learning was positively associated with work preparedness and social connectedness. Conclusions The study findings suggest that social media used for learning purposes can have a positive impact on career and social development among college students with disabilities. However, the time spent for non-learning purposes did not show positive benefits.