CASE STUDY. IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH OF STUDENTS
Keywords:
Key words: Social networking, Mental health, Academic performance and Students.Abstract
Abstract
Considering the significant and constant use of social networks in the world,
mostly by young women, we reflect in this article on the relationship between digital
communication technologies and their influence on student perspectives, as well as
their repercussions on mental health and academic performance. The aim was to
describe the reasons that lead university students to access social networks; outline the
harms of using these platforms, if any, in their life experiences; investigate the
influence of social networks on their productivity, thus seeking to understand the use
of social networks and their interface with the mental health of these students. This is
a descriptive-exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, carried out with 16
students of Kimyo International University in Tashkent (Samarkand Branch). A semi-
structured interview was used, and thematic content analysis was followed for its
interpretation. Information collection took place in November 2019 and all ethical
aspects were respected. The results indicated different perceptions regarding the use of
social networks that produce impacts on the mental health, personal and academic lives
of the university students interviewed.
Furthermore, it was found that social networks contribute to the dynamism and
autonomy of the learning process, while the excessive use of these platforms can have
a detrimental effect on students' mental health and academic performance.
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