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Social Media and Students’ Wellbeing: An Empirical Analysis during the Covid-19 Pandemic

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  • Hedviga Tkáčová

    (Department of Journalism, Faculty of Arts and Letters, Catholic University in Ruzomberok, 034 01 Ruzomberok, Slovakia)

  • Martina Pavlíková

    (Department of Journalism, Faculty of Arts, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Zita Jenisová

    (Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Patrik Maturkanič

    (College of Applied Psychology, 411 55 Terezín, Czech Republic)

  • Roman Králik

    (Department of Russian Language, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), 117198 Moscow, Russia)

Abstract

Various forms of social media (SM) appear to be very popular among young people because they provide information and entertainment, including a wide range of web technologies such as blogs, wikis, online social networks, and virtual networks. SM plays a huge role in the lives of children and teenagers, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the computer becomes not only a means of entertainment or leisure, but also a necessary and everyday means of education and communication with other people. Thus, COVID-19 has brought a radical change, not only in the daily schedule and leisure time of pupils and students, but also in the perception of the procedures used by this specific group in the online space. Through our own research, using structured interviews and a questionnaire, we examine the use of SM as a tool to promote sustainable well-being in a group of high school students from various schools in central Slovak Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia). The research confirms that during the pandemic, the use of SM by the young respondents contributes significantly to well-being. This is the case when SM is used by high school students as a tool in promoting: (1) personal interests; (2) motivation; (3) communication and interpersonal connectivity; (4) preferred forms of online education; and (5) online games. The article presents a set of recommendations regarding the use of SM as a tool for sustaining the well-being of young people during the pandemic.

Suggested Citation

  • Hedviga Tkáčová & Martina Pavlíková & Zita Jenisová & Patrik Maturkanič & Roman Králik, 2021. "Social Media and Students’ Wellbeing: An Empirical Analysis during the Covid-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:18:p:10442-:d:638925
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    6. Jungsuk Kim & Gemma Estrada & Yothin Jinjarak & Donghyun Park & Shu Tian, 2022. "ICT and Economic Resilience during COVID-19: Cross-Country Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Yonghua Chen & Xi Liu & Dorothy T. Chiu & Ying Li & Baibing Mi & Yue Zhang & Lu Ma & Hong Yan, 2022. "Problematic Social Media Use and Depressive Outcomes among College Students in China: Observational and Experimental Findings," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(9), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Tiberiu Constantin Ionescu & Bogdana Ioana Fetecau & Stefan Zaharia & Elma-Maria Mînecan & Catalina Tudose, 2023. "Sleepless Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Insomnia Symptoms among Professionally Active Romanians during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-16, January.
    9. Zonglong Li & Wenyi Zhang & Yanhui Zhou & Derong Kang & Biao Feng & Qing Zeng & Lingling Xu & Minqiang Zhang, 2022. "College Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention and Alertness in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    10. Joel Oommen George & Suzanne Elayan & Martin Sykora & Marin Solter & Rob Feick & Christopher Hewitt & Yiqiao Liu & Ketan Shankardass, 2023. "The Role of Social Media in Building Pandemic Resilience in an Urban Community: A Qualitative Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(17), pages 1-18, September.
    11. Chloe C. Dedryver & Cécile Knai, 2021. "‘It’s Easily the Lowest I’ve Ever, Ever Got to’: A Qualitative Study of Young Adults’ Social Isolation during the COVID-19 Lockdowns in the UK," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-11, November.
    12. Aleksey N. Raskhodchikov & Maria Pilgun, 2023. "COVID-19 and Public Health: Analysis of Opinions in Social Media," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-27, January.
    13. Patrik Maturkanič & Ivana Tomanová Čergeťová & Irena Konečná & Vladimír Thurzo & Amantius Akimjak & Ľubomír Hlad & Jan Zimny & Marie Roubalová & Victoria Kurilenko & Martin Toman & Jozef Petrikovič & , 2022. "Well-Being in the Context of COVID-19 and Quality of Life in Czechia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(12), pages 1-13, June.
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    15. Shuping Yang & Xingchen Zhu, 2023. "How Does Problematic Internet Use Influence Chinese Rural Adolescent Externalizing Problem Behaviors? The Mediating Role of Mental Health and the Moderating Role of Parental Knowledge," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-13, January.

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