Social Networking Sites and Youth Transition: The Use of Facebook and Personal Well-Being of Social Work Young Graduates.

Joaquin Castillo De Mesa,Luis Gómez-Jacinto,Amaya Erro-Garcés,Antonio López Peláez

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00230

Abstract

Research on youth transitions, and the well-being of young people, has to take into consideration the digital context in which they are immersed. Digital interaction of young people increase year by year, social networking sites play a key role in their personal and professional relationships, and a very high percentage of jobs require digital skills. According to Eurostat (2019), participating on social networking sites (one of the most common online activities in the EU-28), is growing every year [more than half (56%) of individuals aged 16–74 used the internet for social networking sites], and this percentage increases among the younger generations. In this article, we present the results of our research on the digital skills and well-being of young people on Facebook, based on a survey with a sample of 126 young people graduated from the University of Málaga (School of Social Work) (Spain). Based on certain scales, the level of digital skills that students have on Facebook was measured, considering strategic aspects for information search, level of use and presence of Facebook in life, maintenance of relations and tolerance to diversity. Variables of psychosocial well-being were also measured (social capital, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and personal well-being). Variables of digital skills on Facebook were subsequently related to well-being variables. Results show that certain digital skills relate to the well-being of young people. In this sense, we deem it crucial to develop education policies that could provide young graduates with general digital skills to be used on social networking sites.

Highlights

We are immersed in a digital society, in which our social relationships, communication, education, leisure and work are transformed
Below we present the results of our research on digital skills and the well-being of young people on Facebook, with a sample of 126 young graduates from the University of Málaga (School of Social Work) (Spain)
In general terms, it has been found that when social networking sites are used, the sense of community is a predictor for satisfaction and well-being (Manago et al, 2012)

Summary

Introduction

We are immersed in a digital society, in which our social relationships, communication, education, leisure and work are transformed. Our autonomy, and our well-being, are influenced by digitalization. To analyze the different dimensions of well-being such as environmental mastery or positive relationships (Ryff, 2019), it is necessary to take into account the technological environment and how young people participate, learn and interact on social networking sites. The new generations, intensive users of technology, are considered digital natives, and digital competences play a key role in their well-being. Institutions and companies are focused on the development of these skills (Picatoste et al, 2018). The Council of the European Union included digital skills in their conclusions

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Conclusion