An Exploration Of Use Of Social Networking Sites Amongst Users With Psychological Problems
- Author:
Manoj Kumar Sharma
;
Indu S Menon
;
P Marimuthu
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Social Networking Sites;
Social Capital;
Self esteem;
Internet
- From:ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry
2017;18(2):10-19
- CountryMalaysia
-
Abstract:
Objective: Social Networking Sites (SNS) are gaining popularity across different
cultures and age groups with its increasing role in the day-to-day life of its users.
Objective of the present investigation is to study the SNS use and its relationship
with online and real-life social capital, self-esteem and interpersonal
relationships in normal and clinical population. Methods: The sample consisted
of 93 participants of the age range 17-37 years, 63 participants from the general
population and 30 from the clinical population with a diagnosis of any depressive
or anxiety spectrum disorder. The tools used for this study are Basic Data Sheet,
the Facebook Intensity Scale, Internet addiction Test, Internet Social Capital
Scale. Results: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Sentence Completion Test
Results show that Facebook use has a positive correlation with online bonding
and bridging capital. A significantly higher percentage of participants from the
clinical group met the criteria for problem use of the Internet. Compared to
average users, problem users of the Internet are found to have higher mean
scores for online bridging capital and conflicts in inter-personal relationships
and lower mean scores for real life bonding capital and self-esteem.
Conclusions: It necessitates an exploration of Facebook's use patterns in routine
evaluation and management of clinical conditions and implies the need for
further research to develop explanatory models and management strategies for
problematic use of the Internet.
