Tuesday, December 3, 2019

Article Critique: Adolescent Social Networking by Oberst and Colleagues (2017) [Part 2]

     According to Oberst, Wegmann, et al. (2017), female participants scored higher in SNI (p. 55). Hypothetically, psychopathological symptoms might mediate higher SNS use in girls than they do in boys. The researchers explain that girls are more likely to involve in online communication, which causes distraction from their daily routine, brings them undesired outcomes like unhealthy relationships, disconnection with their families, etc. Since then, these female SNS users are supposed to develop higher anxiety and negative consequences of intense involvement in SNS (p. 57). 

     However, since Oberst and colleagues (2017) studied only social media users from Spanish-speaking Latin-American countries (p. 54). Their conclusion might not be ideal enough to apply to female social media users from other cultures. With this limitation, the relevant findings for females in this research can only be used as a stereotype, a potential idea for further studies with a larger sample. In my opinion, these findings are agreeable to some degree.

     Mood disorders like anxiety and depression in female adolescents, according to Steingard (n.d.), are more than twice as high as they are in male adolescents (par. 1). Anxious youngsters, without proper mental care, can develop unhealthy coping mechanisms to deal with their psychopathological symptoms, which mediates impairments in their studying and relationships (par. 9). Inappropriate coping mechanisms can vary from bottling up their emotions to seeking secure feelings through some intense activities.

     If an anxious female adolescent chooses to intensely involve in SNS to feel safe, she will likely to be distressed by public criticism. This stress comes from the failure to stay connected with others. It is FOMO discussed in Oberst and colleagues' research (2017) (p. 53). To satisfy her needs, it is reasonable for her to spend more time checking social media. When more female adolescents engage in SNS to cope with their anxiety, the relevant findings to females in Oberst and colleagues' research (2017) seem to be more persuasive and understandable.

     A study conducted in Dutch by CBS organization (2019) shows that 91 percent of female adolescents were on social media like Facebook and Instagram, which is more than male adolescents (83 percent) (par. 4). From this result, we acknowledge that girls from this culture and similar cultures form higher SNS use habit. This habit is maintained during their depression and anxiety. Since this is not a healthy activity to cope with these psychopathological symptoms, its negative consequences like more serious disconnection with others are reasonably predictable. As long as the number of girls who in SNS use nowadays increases, the number of female youngsters who have SNI also increases.

Eurus Thach.
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References:
CBS Staff. (2019, May 27). Girls more on social networks than boys. CBS. Retrieved from https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/news/2019/22/girls-more-on-social-networks-than-boys.  
Newport Academy Staff. (2017, March 27). Looking for ‘Likes’: Teens and Social Media Addiction [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.newportacademy.com/resources/mental-health/teens-social-media-addiction/. 
Oberst, U., Wegmann, E., Stodt, B., Brand, M., Chamarro, A. (2017). Negative Consequences from Heavy Social Networking in Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Fear of Missing Out. Journal of Adolescence, 55, 51-61.http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2016.12.008.
Shepherd’s Hill Academy Staff. (n.d.). Teens and Social Media Addiction. [Blog post]  Retrieved from https://www.shepherdshillacademy.org/resources/teens-social-media-addiction/.
Steingard, R. (n.d.). Mood Disorders and Teenage Girls: Why They Are More Vulnerable Than Boys, and What Signs and Symptoms You Should Look For. Child Mind Institution, Depressive and Mood Disorders. Retrieved from https://childmind.org/article/mood-disorders-and-teenage-girls/. 

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