Graduation Year
2023
Document Type
Senior Thesis
Degree
Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Primary Major
Nursing
Primary Minor
Psychology
Thesis Advisor
Patricia Harris, PhD, RN, CNS
Abstract
Social media is constantly developing and changing with unique features and apps being introduced on a day-to-day basis. Numerous individuals utilize social media to post about their life online, create connections with others, and create content. Adolescents, ages 11 to 18, are going through a substantial period of development and growth and are easily influenced by the things and people surrounding them. Because of this, adolescents can have both negative and positive experiences and feelings toward social media. It can cause adolescents to frequently compare themselves to the individuals they follow online; however, it can also be used for self-expression. The purpose of this paper is to discover how social media can influence adolescents both negatively and positively. After reviewing six primary articles, the negative effects heavily outweigh the positive; moreover, a future study using a prospective, mixed-method design is proposed to find interventions that can be implemented to make using social media a more positive experience for everybody.