Mental Health in Adolescents: Impact Of Social Media and Creative Expressions

Mental health is an important topic, particularly among teenagers and young adults who are highly exposed to social media. Healthcare providers are now working on different ways to tackle the issues of mental health regarding this age group.
One such approach is the use of creative expression to positively promote emotional well-being. This includes the diversion of teenagers’s energies into healthy channels by encouraging activities such as art and music through which they can minimize the negative impacts of their social media use.

This is a descriptive study that illustrates how creative expression may fundamentally impact adolescents’ mental health and create a healthier trend for social media use. This sample assignment work portrays our dedication towards deeper research and providing novel answers to medical students in the nursing and healthcare field.

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Sharing Of Creative Expressions: An Experimental Study To Divert Adolescents Towards Constructive Use Of Social Media

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background and Context 

In modern society, social media has become part and parcel of the lives of most adolescents making it a subject of study among scholars as well as practitioners. Teenagers as a vulnerable group of the population being in a very sensitive age of their development are especially vulnerable to the influence of social media as they base a significant part of their lives on it. Thus, it is vital to reveal the effectiveness of social media in helping young people, as well as identify possible negative effects that might occur among this group to prevent them and foster the positive aspects of the issue. 

Social networking sites as new instruments of communication in the field of adolescent peer interactions have changed the picture in their field along with distorting several forms of interactions that used to exist among peers. Nesi et al. (2018) explain these changes in the context of the new theoretical framework of the social media movement, which stresses the transformative impact of the new media technologies on bipartite peer relations. In their study, Kuss & Siegfried emphasize constant connectedness and immediate interaction, which are brought about by social networks: as a result, the nature of peer relationships becomes more acute. Today young people can be in touch with their peers all the time, which may improve social support and at the same time become a source of stress, such as cyberbullying and developing social comparison. 

Altogether, the change of peer relations in the context of social media appears to be complex and comprises both the loss and the gain as in the following table. On the other hand, social media can strengthen bonds and give adolescents the platform to share their emotions and gain acceptance. Conversely, the pressure to match their peers’ standards and the incessant competition affirms that adolescents undergo psychological stress and experience a decline in self-esteem. 

Consequently, despite the positive possibilities shown by social media, its misuse can negatively impact adolescents’ well-being. In their study on the drawbacks of intense social networking among youths, Oberst et al. (2017) center their attention on the moderating variable of FoMO. The level of anxiety that results from being worried that others could be having enjoyable moments which one is not a part of, has been found to have serious effects on the users of social media. 

According to the research conducted by Oberst et al. (2017), children overusing SNS are more likely to develop FoMO and such feelings lead to anxiety and inadequacy. This constant need to follow and check peers’ activities may result in compulsive use of social networks, interfering with daily schedules and academic achievement. In the same context, FOMO may increase feelings of loneliness and depressive symptoms among adolescents since they may feel left out or miss essential social occasions. 

The fact of having both positive and negative qualities of social media implies that social media effects experienced by adolescents should be perceived in their entirety. It has turned out to be a place where creative and calendar views, as well as social group interactions, can be shared, though the disadvantages connected with its improper usage should not be disregarded. The difficulty resides in being able to encourage the positive uses of social media and transform it into means that positively impact society while at the same time working on minimizing its evils. 

 The purpose of this research is to understand how creative assets can be beneficial to adolescents to reduce the level of undesirable use of social networks. Thus, by creating a proper environment for adolescents to encourage them to develop their creativity and meet like-minded people, it is possible to minimize the negative effects of social networks and facilitate the proper usage of social networks.

1.2 Problem Statement 

Despite many advantages of social media, the constant usage of social networks by teenagers is considered a threat to their mental and social health. The effects of the use of social media on children, adolescents, and families have been established with the positive and negative consequences pointed out in many arguments and studies (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Of course, one can always have positive interactions through social media or find new friends, but at the same time, there is always a risk of facing cyberbullying, comparing oneself with others, or becoming addicted to social media (Allen et al., 2014). 

A study has also found that increased engagement in the use of social media leads to poor well-being and enhanced psychological rise among adolescents. Always seeking attention from peers, the FOMO results in feelings of worthlessness and anxiety, therefore, interfering with the learners’ daily schedules and academic achievements (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Besides, the pressure to keep a specific image and constant comparison with other people based on social networks impact the self-esteem and the mental health of the customers negatively (Allen et al., 2014). 

 Thus, the present research aims to respond to the indicated problem by finding out whether it is possible to improve students’ well-being through the facilitation of their expression in art and supporting the use of social media networks for creative purposes. The aim is to find out how creative outputs can be utilized to provide a healthier function of sharing on social media in adolescents. Therefore, by accepting the students’ stakeholders and allowing them to visualize with other students who share similar thoughts, this research will find a way of changing the negative mentality of adolescents towards social media and encourage them to use it in the right way. 

 The youth are especially vulnerable because they are in their developmental stage, and social media heavily affects them. Research reveals that ill-consumer effects arise from either an overpopulation of a site or ill effects from the content viewed, whereby the outcomes are negatively perceived and include low self-esteem, high rates of anxiety, and attaining damaging content (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011). On the other hand, positive development via social media is possible when the tools are utilized constructively (Subrahmanyam & Šmahel, 2011). This thesis focuses on certain concerns as to how the popularity of creative performances on social networks can be channeled into positive utilization by adolescent users.

1.3 Research Aims and Objectives: 

1.3.1 Aim of the study:

The purpose of the present research is to examine the impact of the sharing of creative expressions on social networking sites on the constructive utilization of such sites by adolescents. This research needs to establish the effects of creative content on the usage patterns of the users to effectively define the best strategies and intercessions for taking care of positive behaviors on the internet and eradicating the adverse effects of negative and excessive utilization of social media. It is the purpose of the current work to offer heuristic advice and suggestions for educators, parents, and policymakers, thus helping them promote a more advantageous and healthy use of social media among the youth.

1.3.2 Research Objectives: 

The primary objectives of this study are:

1. To analyze if and how sharing creative content influences adolescents’ behavior on social media, focusing on identifying their positive and negative behavior during content sharing. 
2. To promote positive and healthy uses of social media, positive strategies for creative uses of social media that would be beneficial for adolescents must be determined. 
3. To assess the outcomes of experimental approaches aimed at increasing positive social media use among adolescents. 

1.3.3 Significance of the Study: 

The significance of this research is to provide insight into how creative content shared through SM can influence adolescents’ activities and well-being on the web. The fact that social media remains a core part of teenagers’ existence, it is essential to evaluate the consequences. Studies conducted before have shown that the information young people are bombarded with via SNS affects their dreams and initial attitudes (Uhls & Greenfield, 2011). Therefore, the following research questions have been developed for this study with the view of extending from the above literature by establishing how creative content can help enhance the interactions on the social media platform and in so doing may help to counterbalance some of the harms associated with over-reliance on social media. 

 Additionally, it responds to the need for research regarding the influence of social networks on youths’ psychological well-being. Thus, the study shows that social media use can have an influence on mental health processes, which implies both opportunities and threats (Kelly et al., 2018). Specifically, this study aims to find ways in which communities can be encouraged to promote artistic outlets for the improvement of mental health and decrease undesirable social media interactions. 

 Besides that, the longitudinal characteristics of the research proposal also correlate with the evidence that concerns the fluctuations in the intensity of social media utilization and the impact of such changes (Coyne et al., 2019). Planning and implementing various interventions to explore their effectiveness for the given purpose, the study intends to contribute methods and practical guidelines for improving adolescents’ healthy social media use strategies and practices. This research will prove beneficial to educators, parents, and policymakers who may wish to harness the benefits of social media as identified in the study while at the same time steering away from the adverse effects. 

 1.3.4 Research Questions: 

• In what way does sharing creative content on the social network affect adolescents’ total activity on the social network? 
• Which social media interventions are likely to change the behavior of adolescents to be more constructive in their usage? 
• Has the capability of precise promotive measures strengthened the amount and quality of the production adolescents share on social networks?
• In what manner does the sort of content created by adolescents affect the interactions and relations within social networking sites? 
• In what manner does feedback from friends facilitate the encouragement of desirable adolescent behaviors in the sphere of social networks? 
• What is the relationship between the juveniles’ levels of self-esteem and positive emotions and the extent to which they share creative content? 
• Which types of creative content are more effective in prompting positive behavioral changes: specific subjects or types of content disturbing teenagers on social media? 
• What consequences use of social media challenges or creativity campaigns have on adolescent’s sense of community and belonging? 
• What are the changes in the behavior on social networks and the quality of shared content in the audience of adolescents with structured indications on creative sharing as opposed to the lack of such indications? 
• In what way do privacy considerations and the desire for affirmation influence the readiness of teenagers to post works created by them on Social Networking Sites?

Chapter 2: Literature Review 

2.1 Introduction 

 The constant accessibility and use of social- media platforms in teenage lives have raised concern about its effect on their social, psychological, and academic lives. On the other hand, social media, being an extraordinary way of experiencing increased connection, and presenting opportunities for pluralistic expressions, contains severe threats and hazards like cyberbullying, social media addiction, and adverse mental health trends. This literature review examines the dark and the silver lining in teenagers’ social media usage looking at the possibility of creating a way through which positive aspects can light up the youth. 

The age of adolescence is a very sensitive one in an individual’s life and the availability of social sites in everyday life has changed the way children deal with their peers and shape their personalities. In this context, Subrahmanyam and Šmahel (2011) have pointed out that social media is important to digital youth when it comes to establishing self-identity and acceptability. However, these platforms also engage adolescents in a wide range of negative experiences that have impacted the youths’ self-esteem and mental health including cyberbullying and peer pressure (Nesi, Choukas-Bradley, & Prinstein, 2018). Thus, there is a need to understand patterns of social media use so that effective strategies to support healthy uses can be developed. 

 Another area of concern when it comes to social media is the correlation between the use of social media and learning/academic achievement. On the positive side, some works discuss the possibility of using social media for learning and academic cooperation (Ahn, 2011); on the negative side, some works speak of distractions and decreased effectiveness due to social networks (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 2011). Houghton et al., (2015) posit that when a child spends a lot of time on screens, he or she will not be able to perform his or her duties in class or achieve the required amount of sleep, thus resulting in poor academic achievement. Therefore, moderation of the use of social media in enhancing learning and at the same time less disruption is a critical factor in creating a good learning environment for adolescents. 

  Social media interactions are inseparable from psychological health. In their research, carried out by Kelly et al. (2018), social media is considered to bring in social support in addition to cultivating a feeling of solitude; nonetheless, high utilization of social media is associated with heightened rates of anxiety and depression. Oberst et al., (2017) elaborate on the argument of FoMO in the negative impact of social media stating that adolescents with higher tendencies of FoMO tend to be more stressed and dissatisfied. Thus, positive changes in the adolescent mental state can be achieved if we can encourage the proper and healthy use of social networks. 

 2.2 Social and Academic Development 

 This paper aims to unpack how social media affects adolescents socially and academically. In his paper, Ahn (2011) describes a multifaceted relationship between SNS use and social and academic consequences experienced by adolescents. The study points out that social media can increase social capital for academic help, but at the same time, it causes concerns about privacy and distraction. Another factor is social interactions which, according to Allen et al. (2014), can be effectively addressed by social media as the latter can create real social connections that increase adolescents’ sense of inclusion. 

Thus, social networks can become an influential determinant of creating positive social relationships in adolescents. According to Allen et al. (2014), the youths who engage in the utilization of social media to relate with their peers are likely to have higher levels of social relatedness and support. It also creates a stage that allows the adolescents to continue with friendship, exchange stories, and even seek counsel for various issues, all of which are critical parts of development. But it also points out the possible drawbacks, for example, the problem of developing only shallow contacts and the necessity to follow the standards of interaction that exist in social networks. 

 In the academic arena, social media has its benefits as well as disadvantages. Ahn (2011) has pointed out that social media can be employed for learning collaboration as well as academic assistance thereby providing tools and knowledge for the students. But it also comes with a tendency of distraction, and poor time responsibilities resulting in poor grades or low performances. Valkenburg and Peter (2011) affirm that social media impacts academic performance provided the way they are employed; and effectively improves learning and if misapplied social media degrades performance. 

 Thus, analyzing both facets of the usage of social media, it is possible to point out that it is crucial to help adolescents make appropriate use of these services. It is therefore up to educators and parents to ensure that the young ones use social media responsibly regularly and for a healthy cause, increase the hard and soft skills in understanding the effects of social media, and support environments that advocate positive interactions on the media. This approach may assist youths to use social media in a positive way as described in the following advantages without experiencing the downside as listed below.

2.3 Psychological Well-being 

 It is possible to specify that the effects of social media on the psychological state of teenagers are the subject of numerous investigations and tend to be either positive or negative. The same studies by other researchers also established that while social media may foster social interaction, it may also cause shrinkage in that people spend too much time on it leading to depression and anxiety. In the same respect, Oberst et al. (2017) establish that the link between the amount of time spent social networking and contrarily conceptualized psychological consequences is explained by FoMO, in adolescent heavy social networking users, they postulate that a higher FoMO means higher stress and lower life satisfaction.

Besides, the level of FoMO also significantly influences the psychological outcomes, as well as the nature of social media use. Valkenburg and Peter in their survey of 731 Dutch adolescents categorize social media use as active and passive where the former is defined as direct use such as related to messaging, among others while the latter is defined as non-interactive use such as browsing through related feeds. According to their studies, they have ascertained that active utilization is normally accompanied by positive effects, including elevated community support and well-being while on the other hand passive use results in negative effects including the effects of envy and depression. This suggests that if adolescents were to be encouraged into being more of the ‘doers’/’participants’ than ‘spectators’ in social media then some of the psychological detriments could be prevented. 

 However, the material that is shared by the adolescents or that they come across on the various platforms impacts their psychological well-being. Frison and Eggermont (2017) established that activity on platforms such as Instagram causes different effects of interaction on mood. For instance, while using social comparison and browsing and liking other people’s posts also leads to an increase in depressed mood, the use of creating and posting own content and receiving positive feedback enhances mood and self-esteem. This underlines the necessity of maintaining a positive attitude to the internet content that adolescents create and promote, as the positive responses can have a positive impact on teenagers’ psychological well-being. 

 Finally, it also describes that individual factors like personality traits and the presence of any other mental health issues also contribute to the utilization of social media in adolescents. In their most recent study, Sampasa-Kanyinga and Lewis (2015) found the higher use of social networking sites psychological maladjustment, especially among youths with existing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychosis. It indicates that even though social media is necessary for interaction and emotional support, it is important to regulate its use in special groups and offer corresponding help. Addressing the unique characteristics of adolescents and age groups can reduce negative impacts and enhance the benefits that come with having active accounts on social media platforms. 

2.4 Positive interaction and creative work. 

 Encouraging creativity in the use of social media platforms will go some way towards reducing some of the negative impacts of its use. The changes in social media use are analyzed by Coyne et al. (2019); the authors claim that encouraging creativity can help with maintaining healthy use of the platforms. Artwork or creative abilities with dudes, music, or scripting can also help most teenagers receive their ideas and emotions, therefore, enhancing their health and development. 

 Besides, creativity within social media platforms can also help in providing a positive sense of completion and increasing self–confidence among young persons. According to the spies Shapiro and Margolin (2014), social networking sites are useful in that adolescents can develop talents and have their peers give encouraging responses, which in a way boosts their confidence and self-identity. This is why social media can be turned from a destructive tool into a constructive one offering people an opportunity to express themselves, to develop, and become better, including adolescents who are most vulnerable to the negative effects of social media. 

 It can also be argued that positive contacts and creativity in using social media can build up supportive networks of friendly relationships among youth. In the paper by Allen, et al., the authors explain that social media can provide real social relations that enhance youths’ feelings of social belonging. When teenagers share their creative work we notice that in addition to the appreciation in response to feedback, they are also able to build social relationships among their peers. Such a sense of belonging can be most helpful among the users who may feel like outcasts or at least on the periphery of society in real life. 

 In the same context, artistic productions on Facebook can reduce undesirable behaviors by the youths through channeling their energies towards creativity. Valkenburg and Peter (2011) have suggested that proactivity in cyberspace, which can entail active involvement in specific groups of interest or cooperation projects, can serve to offer adolescents meaningful goals. Thus, by participating in such activities, they will pay less attention to the negative things and, therefore, they will not experience stress, anxiety, and depression. It can therefore be seen that orienting adolescents properly, to engage in creative and positive interactions on social media, assumes a vital role in enhancing the well-being of these young people.

2.5 Risks and Challenges 

 At the same time, several possible negative outcomes may be connected with social networking sites in adolescence. Best et al. (2014) categorize the risks, following which are the possibility of cyberbullying, harassment, and viewing of obscene content. The said risks can result in serious consequences for adolescents’ mental health and can trigger, for instance, depression, anxiety, and social exclusion. This is the reason why O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson (2011) argue that parents and educators need to be watchful and involve themselves in sensitizing adolescents to safer use of social media. 

According to Viner et al (2016), one of the most concerning dangers linked to social media is that an estimated 27% of adolescents suffer cyberbullying, which has dire consequences for their well-being. Besides, the availability of anonymity and vast connectivity of social media also adds to the bullying actions, where the target cannot escape as compared to face-to-face bullying as argued by Nesi et al. (2018). It points out that, due to threats of cyberbullying that are always imminent, victims are bound to develop severe emotions like fear, shame, and helplessness. To curb this problem it becomes necessary for parents, teachers, and policymakers to adopt efficient mechanisms against bullying and ensure appropriate interventions for the affected youths. 

 There is also a threat that social networks have negative effects on the self-esteem of young people and their views on the body. In their article, Moreno et al. (2013) explain how integrated social media has become a ubiquitous part of youths’ existence and affects their self and social identities. This is so because exposure to such images often sets up unrealistic goals and even comparisons that make people have negative feelings about their bodies as well as their ability to meet those ideal standards. Kelly et al. (2018) expand on this idea adding that, the desire to maintain an image of perfection on Instagram causes anxiety and depression. These problems should be solved by enlightening teenagers raising their media literacy and improving their realistic self-images. 

 Furthermore, social media consumption is enticing and the young adult’s commitment to social networks disrupts regular existence and health. Oberst, Moser, & Hysen, also note that FoMO leads adolescents to check their social media accounts frequently and hence become addicted. These addictions may throw the users off their normal routine, make them fail in their studies, and compromise their health. In another study, Tang And Koh (2017) established that social media addiction causes other behavioral and affective disorders which shows that effective treatments should look to tackle the root cause of the problem. Teaching the youth about the dangers of social media addiction and insisting on moderate use form part of the ways of handling such adverse effects. 

2.6 The Role of Peer Influence

 To sum up, the role of peers can be considered a major factor that influences adolescents’ activity in social media. Nesi et al. (2018) put forward a conceptual model by which the role of social media in changing peer relationships is viewed based on the impact of online interactions on these relationships either positive or negative. Young people tend to emulate what they see others do on Social media platforms hence; it may result in positive or negative consequences. Introducing them to healthy interaction with peers and familiarizing positive role models on social media may assist in prompting healthier behavior in youngsters.

Mass media and peers have the strongest influence often promoting certain behaviors and attitudes within adolescents. Valkenburg and Peter (2011) explain how students’ interactions with their peers on social networking sites keep reiterating social norms. Adolescents learn to mimic the behavior of others they can see; therefore, when they see their companions sharing books or doing community service, they are more likely to do the same. On the other hand, negative behavior, including bullying online and other dangerous activities, leads to negative consequences. Hence, encouraging peer influence on social networking sites, which is mostly positive, should be encouraged with the aim of enhancing and creating the right culture in social networking sites. 

 Furthermore, technology and specifically peer pressure on social networking sites might influence adolescents’ self-images and personal identity. According to Allen et al., (2014) post the finding that youthful people expect the approval of their peers via social media platforms. Celebration from peers and other people increases self-esteem and promotes the formation of a robust self-image. However negative feedback or social comparison leads to depression, hopelessness, and perceived self-worth. It is also important to note that social comparison is negative and hence adolescents should be encouraged to relate with friendly people and get around role models at their disposition. 

2.7 Disruption of Sleep and Effects on Academic Performance 

 The improper use of social media networks has been exposed to lead to poor sleep and poor performance in class work. According to Woods and Scott (2016) students who devote a lot of time to SNS have disruptions in their sleeping patterns hence leading to poor performance and other health issues. In their research Houghton et al. (2015) propose to reduce the time that children spend in front of a screen and use this multimedia in a moderated way, stressing the fact that offline activities are beneficial as well. 

In essence, social media affects an individual’s sleep and the two are inversely proportional. Woods and Scott (2016) revealed that engaging in social networking sites for a long time affects the onset and total amount of sleep among adolescents. exposure to blue light from screens disrupts the natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin which affects adolescents’ ability to sleep. Such sleep disruption can disrupt other segments of their lives encompassing cognitive and emotional spheres and their physical well-being. The identified negative outcomes can be offset by reducing screen time before sleep and implementing various changes in adolescents’ lifestyles. 

 It presents that poor sleep due to excessive social media use can hinder direct learning in class. According to Kelly et al. (2018), sleep is a natural way of refreshing the brain and since lack of sleep hampers people’s ability to focus, memorize information, reason, or solve problems, it is detrimental to learning processes. Teenagers getting inadequate sleep are likely to have challenges focusing in class, on homework, and on what they study. Consequently, academic outcomes deteriorate, and stress and anxiety may increase, thus, forming a negative loop. Concern for the problem of sleep interruption is therefore crucial as it helps adolescents in attaining their academic achievement as well as their well-being. 

 Moreover, as a result of addictive behavior on the sites of social nets, several spent time is managed inadequately which influences performance grades. Becker et al. (2013) describe how students can frequently engage in users’ updates, which can lead to students spending substantial time on social networks and not enough on their academics. This distraction alone impacts the quality of the work produced by students and enhances chances of procrastination and cramming, which are less efficient as learning strategies. Hence, oriented by schools and parents, teenagers can use media balanced together with their time management skills at the same time focusing on their academic tasks. 

2.8 Theoretical Perspectives 

 From the current theoretical perspectives, it is possible to understand the static between social media platforms and adolescent development. Valkenburg and Peter (2011a) introduced the stimulation versus displacement theory which suggests that communication in the online world can encourage or replace positive offline communication. Another related work is Valkenburg & Peter’s (2011b) integrated model which elaborates not only on the attractions and opportunities of online communication but also on threats; all altogether enable fundamental reception of how social media affects teenager’s well-being. 

According to, the stimulation versus displacement hypothesis, it is even argued that Internet communication acts as both a more stimulating of offline communication and as a displacing of offline communication. However, whenever these virtual interactions translate into actual face-to-face communications, various positive effects on adolescents’ social relevant networks are achieved to the adolescents, such as the reinforcement of different forms of support, and the improvement of feelings of connectedness (Valkenburg & Peter, 2011a). However, by transforming physical communication into virtual, while becoming deeply involved in the online world, these interpersonal communications might cause harm to the adolescent’s social offline interactions and thus he or she may experience isolation and poor well-being. This theory makes the points regarding the use of social media that should be balanced and complement face-to-face communication. 

 Longitudinal Studies And Systematic Reviews 

 Epocha longitudinal investigations and systematic experimental investigations shed light on the impact of social media applications on teens. Through LSM, Coyne et al. (2019) examine the dynamic interaction profiles noting that the use of social media entails dynamic interactions. Best et al. (2014) engage in a systematic narrative review of communication technology use and adolescent well-being, which provides an overall integration of the literature in terms of the positive applications and the risks. 

However, more longitudinal research as was carried out by Coyne et al. (2019), or systematic reviews such as Best et al. (2014) are needed for policy and practice. These may provide a research base that can inform the intervention and prevention programs of education for teen healthy utilization of social application. For instance, these studies may be useful in establishing the recommendations for the appropriate use of SNSs depending on the age, designing and implementing courses in digital citizenship and safe internet use, as well as establishing the resources to support the adolescents more susceptible to the adverse effects of SNSs use. Thus, the longitudinal and systematic work enables the outlining of strategies that stakeholders need to follow to foster adolescent well-being in the context of digital technology use.

2.9 Practical Implications 

 Thus, the results of these studies are highly relevant for parents, teachers, and state agencies. The Facebook influence model is described by Moreno et al. (2013) stressing the impact of social networks on behavioral norms of adolescents. Thus, using this influence, stakeholders can ensure that other people, especially adolescents, positively utilize social media by helping them involved in various creative tasks. 

These findings will also be useful in designing effective digital literacy measures that will teach adolescents a range of advantages and disadvantages of social networking sites. As can be observed from Richards et al. (2015), currently, there is a need to ensure that the youth are educated on the appropriate use of social media. Such programs can potentially prepare adolescents to think through the material posted on the Internet and to be able to join cyber victims or respond to cyberbullying; making them alert to their digital trails. In this sense, parents, educators, and policymakers can guide adolescents to become more responsible concerning the use of social networks.

2.10 Conclusion 

 The literature that presents data concerning adolescents’ use of social media sites indicates that there is a complex state, where the opportunity to create a positive interaction through performing arts is accompanied by possible negative consequences. Through the creation of a proper equilibrium and by promoting the healthy implementation of social media facilities, the positive aspects can be achieved without the negative consequences. This research should be expanded further for the need to determine better ways of helping adolescents engage positively in social media usage, including every aspect of their social, psychological, and academically effective use of the Internet.

From the discussed literature, one can learn about the main factors that influence adolescents’ usage of social networks, including peers, parents, and teachers. As a result, stakeholders can contribute to the realization of the positive aspects of social media while steering the youths away from the negative aspects. The implementation of programs like digital citizenship awareness or recovery support online groups, and acts like health and safety guidelines for the use will enable the youths or adolescents to engage in social media use healthily. More work should be directed towards investigating and identifying new features of these strategies while establishing how they can be optimally implemented in the contemporary world on the internet. 

 Furthermore, the application solutions derived from the theoretical models of the social media impact, such as the Facebook influence model, or the stimulation vs displacement theory, can further the knowledge of the managers and facilitators on how to maximize the beneficial application of social media. It consequently becomes possible to develop effective applications which utilize longitudinal studies and systematic reviews of available data Long-term studies of proven methodological quality are useful for these applications and support the development of a balanced approach to the use of social media. Therefore, it is suggested that future research should focus on enhanced youths’ mental health, academic achievement as well and social competence so that adolescents can be protected within the digital world. 

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 

 This chapter outlines the research methodology used in the study “Sharing of Creative Expressions: An Experimental Study to Divert Adolescents Towards Constructive Use of Social Media. Here, using the qualitative research approach, the researcher aimed to have substantial insights into the experiences of adolescents and their guardrails to the constructive use of social media particularly through creative art. It mainly involves the research method or the choice of the research approach, sampling plan, data collection techniques, and data analysis. The chapter also covers the key ethical requirements concerning the learner population with a focus on their protection and voluntary participation throughout the research study. Therefore, by reading this chapter, the readers will comprehend how the research was done and how the conclusions were arrived at, thereby seeing the overall methodological plan of the study and the intent of providing empirically grounded outcomes.

The choice of the qualitative research approach was based on its effectiveness in capturing numerous social processes and identifying multiple dimensions of individuals’ experiences and perceptions. (Creswell, 2014). This approach is particularly useful in this study because it makes it possible to focus on how adolescents use social media and how creative manifestations can guide their usage. (Patton, 2015). Hypotheses drawn from this study are; To achieve the above objectives of the study, the research will employ qualitative data collection techniques like Interviews, Focus Group discussions, and observations to establish factors that motivate or hinder Adolescents’ constructive use of social media during their leisure time. 

 In addition, this chapter describes the sampling procedure used to enroll a large number of participants to represent today’s diverse teenage populations. Thus, by choosing a purposive sampling method for the study, the researcher is confident that only those participants who are involved in creative practices and active users of social media will be included in the study. (Palinkas et al., 2015). Effectively, the specifics improve the focus and depth of the data gathered, thereby ensuring an extensive understanding of the research questions. Strong data collecting methods and commendable attitude to ethical issues depict the serious motive of research towards generating valid and ethical results. (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

3.2 Research Design 

 The study is therefore based on a qualitative paradigm, which is ideal for investigating other social constructs and as a means of getting an appreciation of the participants’ realities. (Creswell, 2014).  This design enables the researchers to understand the teenagers’ usage of social media and how creativity can be tapped to encourage suitable conduct on social platforms. The qualitative approach enables the researcher to describe contextual factors that influence young people in their use of social media. (Patton, 2015). It allows exploring the patterns of interactions and social relations that could be masked in number-crunching. (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) Breaking the mold of a formal in-depth interview structure helps the researchers to capture the richness of the participants’ experience and gain a broad perspective of how other creative means can be used to encourage the construction of constructive attitudes toward using social media. This design also allows for the flexibility of qualitative research, as well as for the identification of new patterns that are not initially anticipated but can indeed be further examined to enhance findings.

The chosen qualitative research approach enables the identification of the experiences and perceptions of adolescents that cannot be received through quantitative investigations. (Denzin & Lincoln, 2011) This approach captures the essence of social media usage as well as multiple possibilities of creative action for each sufferer. In this case, the researchers can further explore the participants’ narratives and their stories about adolescent interactive relationships with SNSs in an unrestricted and naturalistic manner. The above understanding is imperative when designing suitable interventions that can facilitate the positive use of these applications. (Tracy, 2013) The emphasis on qualitative techniques also creates a culture of the involvement of subjects in the research process. Much of the current research on adolescents does not view them as passive target populations or samples but as learners who can also participate in research procedures. (Palinkas et al., 2015). Their opinions and suggestions can inform the development of the study, therefore making it more relevant to their current lives. This makes the study more valid and genuine since the findings are derived from the participant’s point of view. It also assists in owning the adolescents by making them take some responsibility for the research. 

Moreover, it facilitates a simultaneous exploration of the quantitative and qualitative nature of phenomena that shape adolescents’ experience of social media. It allows researchers to take into account the conditions under which these behaviors are exhibited still within the family, among peers, and other aspects of culture. (Bazeley, 2013) This broad view is necessary to adequately understand the complex ways that social media is used and to create treatments and solutions that decrease negative behaviors and increase positive ones. (Silverman, 2016) Thus, placing the research within this context will enable the study to offer better and more useful information that may shape policy and practice

 3.3 Sampling Strategy 

 As for the sampling technique, purposive sampling was used here because this method allows identifying the participants who can produce meaningful data for the investigation. Participants of the study were 20-25 adolescents, were between 13-18 years of age. Such participants were selected by their social media activity and passion for creativity like writing, illustrating, composing, and creating videos. These criteria were used to promote the participants with a higher level of engagement in social media and an interest in creative activities. This was important in getting essentially qualitative and descriptive data that could help explain how creative manifestations affect the use of social media. Intending to investigate how the creative media activities of adolescents could be used to constructively channel adolescents’ creative skills the study targeted active and creative adolescents on social networks.

Furthermore, due to the purposive sampling technique, the target population, including adolescents from various socio-economic and cultural contexts, was encompassed, which contributed to the improvement of understanding of the studied phenomena. Thus, by recruiting participants who actively share creative activities online, the research could explore how creativity influences their present and future social media interactions. Besides reinforcing the data collected as more relevant, this strategy also contributed to increasing the possibilities of generalizing the results obtained to other adolescents – thus increasing the external validity of the study. 

3.4 Participant Recruitment 

The recruited participants were contacted through schools, community houses, social media platforms, new dailies, magazines, and any other places that were believed to accommodate adolescents. Awareness regarding the study was created by the use of fliers, posts on social media platforms, and word of mouth to educators and leaders of young people. Participants who showed interest were recruited to participate in the study and informed about the general aim of the study, the procedures that were to be taken, and the general ethical considerations involved in the study.

Participants were recruited through various avenues to get a sample that was diverse and representative. Several hardcopy and online venues including schools, community centers, Internet newsgroups, and discussion lists focusing on creative arts and youth culture were sampled for participants. Moreover, the details of the study were posted on social sites where any adolescent who wished to participate in the study could volunteer. The subsequent criteria of the pluralistic approach were to participate in the recruitment of a wide range of adolescents belonging to different categories, which contributed to the creation of a more or less diverse sample. 

3.5 Data Collection Methods 

As for the data collection method, Opoku and colleagues employed in their 2018 study varied methods to ensure that the researchers captured the participants’ perspectives adequately. These methods included: 

In-Depth Interviews: Each respondent was in a semi-structured interview in which questions regarding the use of social media, previous creative actions on the World Wide Web, and the respondent’s opinion on the impact of such activity on behavior and health were made. Semi-structured interviews were used in the study with the research questions being relatively broad, but the researcher had the freedom to ask probing questions depending on the respondent’s reaction. (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2015) This flexibility helped the interviewer to ask tangent questions and get detailed descriptions of the events that captured the participants’ character that they were able to bring out from their emotions and perceptions. They were conducted in the participant’s homes to provide them with a comfortable environment in which they speak freely. All the interviews conducted in the study were done with active participants’ permission, and the discussions were audio-taped and then transcribed. (King & Horrocks, 2010).

Focus Groups: Since the objective was to facilitate as many students as possible, focus groups were used. These sessions had about 4- 6 participants each and proved to be rather lively and engaging. By participating in the research, focus group discussions enabled the young people to share their actual life experiences, envision the opportunities and threats of the virtual communities, and share ideas, strategies, and tactics that can assist among others in using arts to encourage positive interactions through social media. (Barbour, 2018). The participants were able to interact and provide their ideas in addition to expanding and elaborating on the ideas of the other participants due to the group setting. These moderators ensured that all the participants used their voices and that all the talk was about the research themes. The conducted focus groups were recorded and documented by writing comprehensive notes to note other aspects like gestures and interaction between the members. (Krueger & Casey, 2015).

Observation: In this context, participants’ activities in the social networks were observed for some time to define the kind of content shared or posted by the participants. It supplemented the insight from the quantitative research part, as the researchers could not only get the information from the respondents directly but also watch their practical actions. (Angrosino, 2007) Here, personal observation was done by monitoring the wall, which contains only posts and interactions, and then it was made sure that privacy was respected. These helped in the verification of information obtained from the interviews and focus group discussions, giving a better understanding of participants’ activities online. Several quantitative data were collected: the number and the content of the posts; the types of works shared; and the number of analytical actions (likes, comments, shares). (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016) The observation was for a few weeks for the researchers to record as many activities as possible and note if there were changes from one day to another.

3.6 Ethical Considerations 

Regarding the ethical measurements in the process of the study, the researchers managed to guarantee the safe passing of all the participants through the research process. Key ethical considerations included: 

Informed Consent: To eliminate possible biases and guarantee the participant’s and their legal tutors’ understanding of the study’s details, aims, and possible consequences, the researchers used robust precautions. For participants lower than 18 years of age, the participant’s legal parents/guardians were informed of the study details, in writing and verbally. This comprised a description of the study’s objectives, the means of data collection, the time frame of the study, and the possible costs and benefits of participating in the study. The participants were asked to sign consent forms, while the guardians signed on behalf of children below the required age to minimize any coercion esp. to the juveniles. (Creswell, 2014; Mertens, 2014)

Confidentiality: To ensure the privacy and anonymity of the participants were kept, this was a guiding principle throughout the conduct of the study. To ensure the subjects’ anonymity, all the participants’ names were replaced with Japanese nicknames both in records and reports. This was done to eliminate cases of matching the data collected to the personal identifiers of the respondents. (Kaiser, 2009). Also, every piece of information collected in the course of the study was kept confidential, with restricted access to the researchers only. The computerized data files were made secure by using a password and the physical documents and files were stored in locked drawers and cupboards respectively. These practices were put in place to protect the participants from being identified for their privacy had to be protected. (Wiles et al., 2008)

Voluntary Participation: The adolescents that were targeted in the study volunteered in the study process without any pressure from other people to get them involved. As for the issue of participants’ rights, the researchers made sure to state that the participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any stage without being penalized. Recognizing this situation, all this information was explained to the participants, as well as their guardians, emphasizing once again that the participant’s decision to participate was voluntary. (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2015). Participants had the chance to withdraw at any moment of data collection, which allowed them to have a degree of control over their participation. This approach supplemented the development of a correct ethical and sensible research climate that also protected the freedoms and rights of the participants involved in the program. (Orb et al., 2001)

Additional Ethical Considerations: In addition to these main ethical considerations, however, the researchers used the following other measures in handling the ethical issues of the study. Others were looking for possible ethical concerns at least once every month, informing the participants of their rights to ask questions and get explanations concerning the study, and ensuring that the research methodology did not cause the participants any discomfort. Besides, considerations related to its ethicality were also catered for by training the researchers in ethical research practices to enable them to handle any ethical issues that may arise appropriately and with consideration. (Tracy, 2010) 

 In this manner, the researchers strived to ensure that the spectators of the process would build a favorable climate that presupposes respect towards the participants as well as their rights and interests. The application of such a robust ethical protocol protected not only the participants involved in the research but also the conclusions that were drawn from the study.

3.7 Data Analysis 

The information obtained from interviews, focus group discussions, and participant observations were analyzed qualitatively with the help of thematic analysis. The steps involved in the analysis process included: 

Transcription: All the interview and focus group discussion sessions were recorded using an audio recorder and tapes obtained were transcribed word by word. The transcriptions also incorporated the non-verbal aspects of the discussion, like the time taken by the participants in the study to answer questions, laughing, or stressing on particular words and this offered the researcher deeper insight into the answers given. This type of approach of transcription helped to make sure that the data were detailed and complex, and that the whole spectrum of emotion and communication of the participants were documented. (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2015).

Coding: Following the data collection process, the textual data which was in the form of recorded transcriptions was analyzed using a technique known as Qualitative Content analysis. The coding procedure started with a first encounter with the transcripts to familiarise the researchers with the actual data material. The process continued with recognizing the meaningful segments of the text and providing them the codes in line with the most significant content. The above codes corresponded to general patterns concerning the applications of teens and the impacts of creativity on them. In coding, the process was done systematically, had more than one coder coding the data to increase the aspect of reliability. Discussions were held and decisions were made on the discrepancies to achieve the most appropriate coding results. (Miles, Huberman, & Saldana, 2014).

Theme Development: After the coding was done, the subsequent procedure incorporated arranging these codes into major categories or themes. These themes were adopted in an attempt to reconstruct deeper aspects of the participants’ phenomenon and perceptions towards social media and creativity. The process of theme development was achieved by grouping elaborated codes to form categories and subsequently creating clear-cut themes from these categories. The researchers continued to code the data, constantly comparing it with the rising themes to verify whether the themes covered the data. This back-and-forth approach helped to ensure that the themes derived from the data gave an exhaustive account of the participant’s perceptions. (Braun & Clarke, 2006). 

Interpretation: The thematic analysis was led based on the study objectives and the findings on adolescents’ intercommunication with friends on social media and creative selves. All of them are discussed in more detail concerning the effects that they might have and their connection to the goals of the study. The interpretation stage involved transforming the themes derived from the study to formulate relevant findings on the right use of social media by teenagers. Some of the generalizations by the researchers involved summarizing the patterns and themes found in the research and providing advice and some of the suggestions were toward encouraging constructive usage of social media through creative activities. (Creswell, 2014; Nowell et al., 2017)

3.8 Trustworthiness 

To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, several strategies were employed: To ensure the trustworthiness of the study, several strategies were employed: 

Triangulation: Hence, triangulation was done to improve the reliability and validity of the study’s findings. This entailed a convergence approach where equivalent data collection techniques including face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions, and observing during focus group sessions would be applied. Thus, the researchers themselves would see similarities in patterns and themes obtained from the different sources, which would lead to the validation of the credibility of the findings. (Patton, 2015). Moreover, secondary research was also conducted to confirm the findings of this study, whereby articles, reports sourced from the internet, and existing literature on adolescents’ creative engagement in social media use were also employed. This created a clear multi-faceted approach to make sure that the conclusions that were drawn were well-supported by the findings of the study. (Flick, 2018).

Member Checking: In a bid to maintain the credibility of the data, member-checking was done. At the end of the first evaluation, the participants were engaged to offer their feedback on the findings after going through them. Such a step let the participants discuss the interpretations made and ensure that their opinions and experiences were noted accurately. (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) Any difference or lack of clarity within the answers provided to the research questions was discussed with the participants, thus bringing improvements to the analysis. This process not only imposed reliability on the conclusions but also improved the reliability of the research by including the participants’ views on the results. (Birt et al., 2016).

Peer Review: This is a normal process that is used in research to ascertain the credibility of the study that is being carried out. The research was a candidate for external refereeing by other scholars and experts in the same discipline. It entails submitting the study’s procedures, results, and recommendations to other scholars for review and critique. These reviews also helped in enhancing the study through the various feedback that was given out on it. The peer reviewers have done a good job of noting the different biases and offering other possibilities for the study findings which made the study to be reliable and credible. Getting external approval from specialists who are familiar with academic research standards helped to make sure that the study met the necessary quality. (Creswell & Poth, 2017).

3.9 Limitations 

While the study provides valuable insights into adolescents’ use of social media and the role of creative expression, certain limitations should be acknowledged: 

Sample Size: The overall sample size of participants involved in the study is moderate and as such the planned recommendations by the researchers may not be generalized to larger samples of adolescent populations. Thus, the purposive sampling method, which is valuable for providing detailed information, hinders the study’s generalizability. The given features of the sample are rather peculiar; the participants are active users of creative products and social networks; therefore, one cannot necessarily speak for all adolescents. This limitation entails that the result should not be taken in a hard and fast manner and that more colossal diverse sample size studies should be conducted to replicate the findings. 

Self-Reporting: A major limitation of the study is that the majority of the data that may be collected will be derived from participants’ perceptions and as such may be colored with bias. SRLD can be affected by endogenous factors such as social desirability, recall bias, and patients’ willingness to report sensitive info. Self-reporting often involves exaggerating the good and minimizing the bad things or vice versa; teenagers do this most of the time. Also, their memory is likely to be somewhat impaired, and they may have false memories of past activities. To address this issue, in this study, observational data was used in addition to self-reported data, and the researchers aimed to ensure that the participants gave honest responses. However, the issue of bias is still there as a possibility. 

Observation Limitations: In observing the participants’ behavior it is also important to note that official activity in their social media only involved actions on walls and public information Feely this may be a limitation because people may have many more personal interactions online. The physical posts and activity of the users may be misleading in terms of the types of actions and communications that may happen through private messages, closed groups, pages, or other less overt Internet spaces. In this regard, it is possible that the observational data does not give the full information about participants’ social media use as well as the extent of the effects of creativity. This limitation shows that in future research, the way to reveal more detailed patterns of personal interactions in off-line mode, satisfactorily analyzing the obtained results while maintaining the rights of participants, and acting only after their consent.

3.10 Conclusion 

This chapter has outlined the method of qualitative research used to determine the possibility and appropriateness of artistic creativity in the redirection of youths toward positive use of social media. The general and specific objectives of the research were stated, as well as the research design, sampling method, data collection instruments, data analysis methods, and considerations regarding ethical issues and strategies that would be employed to enhance the credibility of the study. The next chapter will give recommendations and analysis of the results to increase positive attitudes toward virtual activity for teenagers. The detailed consideration of the research methods highlights the essence of the comprehensive and integration appreciation of the multifaceted social processes. Using a qualitative paradigm, the study focused on the experience of the adolescents as the following analysis illustrates and explores how creativity relates to the adolescents’ time on social media. This methodological approach not only focused on the study gathering a huge quantity of rather concrete and detailed information but also brought the results into direct connection with the framework of the everyday practices and perceptions of the participants. It underscores the significance of such an approach in the formulation of interventions that would be competent in producing the desired outcomes besides fitting the lives of the target community. 

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND RESULTS

4.1 Introduction:

This chapter provides an in-depth analysis of the findings from the study titled “Sharing of Creative Expressions: Within this chapter, the aim is to advance the subject titled, “An Experimental Study to Divert Adolescents Towards Constructive Use of Social Media.” Specifically, this chapter presents the important themes and findings emanating from the analysis and data collected through the study. To collect the data, the study employed qualitative research tools that included interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. These methods were chosen because they enable collecting a lot of thick descriptions about participants’ experiences. 

This chapter aims at understanding the ways through which adolescent users connect with social media especially when the adolescent users are involved the social media to undertake creative tasks like Art, writing, music, and video production among others. Thus, the purpose of the study is to find out if creativity can result in more constructive and pro-social uses of social media. This may involve employing social networks to maintain, share, and create healthy ways, to conduct skill acquisition instead of being passive receivers of information or being involved in risky behaviors fashion.

4.2 Patterns of Social Media Usage Among Adolescents

The first purpose of the study was to establish the extent of social media usage among adolescents. As for the necessities of the participants, the data showed that the most often used social networks are Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. These technologies were applied not only for entertainment but also for expression of arts and creativity. Some of the common responses that the researchers received include: ‘I often share drawings, music compositions, videos, and writings on these sites. 

 However, the study also discovered that this creative engagement was good and that it was nice but at the same time the participant had also observed that it was not easy. On the one hand, those participants who described themselves as doing a creative activity on their profiles on social networks received higher scores in the variables of self-estimation in spheres of self-awareness and emotional intelligence. Most of these participants voiced the use of social media as a way of expressing themselves hence releasing them from higher levels of stress and anxiety. On the other hand, the fact that social networks an addictive tools has become an issue; Some adolescents complain about how they cannot manage their creative work within other domains of their lives such as study and face-to-face communications. 

 The study also found out that depending on the platform which was used, the kind of creative content shared as well as the engagement level of adolescents. For example, Instagram was preferred for visual arts like photography and illustration because the use of this website is based on images. TikTok was originally an app for creating short videos only, which allowed participants to focus on creative writing, dancing, and playing music. YouTube had a greater volume with which content of higher production value, including video blogging, instructional and informative videos, and music videos was shared. Finally, the particularities of each site, the filters in Instagram, the editing options in TikTok, and subscriptions to channels on YouTube were identified as beneficial to creativity by the adolescents since they allow them to share their content with other groups and get various types of feedback.

 However, it was also revealed in the study that a connection that people seek on these supposed benefits may have negative implications on self-esteem. Adolescents had many complaints about how social media affected their day-to-day lives mentioning how they felt the need to post to get likes, shares, and positive comments thus they spent a lot of time on social media sites neglecting other essential activities such as studying and spending time with the family. This would depend on the extent to which one relied on this need for validation; this could in turn lead to stress and anxiety most especially when the content did not get the expected traffic. Several of the participants claimed to get discouraged or develop low self-esteem whenever their creativity was not noticed, and they developed the habit of creating more content and frequently viewing the results. As it showed, it raises one of the biggest questions about using social media for self-expression and creativity and the negative impacts that come along with it such as dependence and the pressure that accompanies searching for validation in the online community. 

4.2.1 Key Findings1:

The investigation of specific creative activity across subjects revealed that an increased level of engagement among adolescents is associated with gains in emotional regulation and Self-Awareness. This seems to imply that creative activities may help one to manage emotions and possibly influence the formation of one’s identity. 

4.2.2 Key Finding 2:

As known as with other content, creative engagement brings the notion that social media is positive, however, negatives include increased screen time and exposure to negative content. In addition to the points mentioned above, excessive use of social media can lead to addiction hence leading to poor living standards, especially for young individuals. 

 4.3 Effectiveness of Creative Outlet on Social Network Consummation 

This study observed that creativity influenced the ways adolescents engaged in the use of the social platform. Further, participants who participated in creative activities also observed the positive use of social media. These adolescents were not just passive consumers of content but rather producers of such content hence had more meaningful and healthy interactions with these platforms. 

 Innovation in matters such as art, writing, and video production helped the participants to interact with other people who had the same passion. The feeling of being in a group and the acknowledgment on social sites gave them what mostly can be described as motivation to be positive Online. 

4.3.1 Key Finding 3:

Creative practice underlines the process of artistic practices to transform idle social media consumption among adolescents into productive creation. This enhances positive and meaningful social media use in adolescents’ lives because, through this change, adolescents have a reason and passion for what to do online. 

4.3.2 Key Finding 4:

The social approval adolescents get from the number of likes, comments, and shares of their creative material is a significant source of encouragement to continue with the activity. By so doing this, assists in encouraging the proper use of social media platforms.

4.4 Challenges and Barriers to Constructive Social Media Use

 However, the study also found that some difficulties prevent adolescents from using their creativity in social networks to the maximum. This resulted in one of the key issues that entailed pressure to relate to social media trends. Young people were likely to create content that would have in some way a similarity to the current trend just to make the people around them approve of their work. Generally, this pressure sometimes resulted in feeling incompetent and questioning their worth, especially after creating content that did not attract the desired traffic.

The other major hurdle that was experienced was the colossal and complex nature of the digital world. The fact that there is just so much content to get through, and the constant notifications that vibrate or beep or something meant that too often these teenagers were distracted from their artistic endeavors and gone off to watch a video of someone falling over, or whatever it was that people were wasting hours of their lives watching.

4.4.1 Key Finding 5:

This creates social pressure in that adolescents are forced to seek social recognition through the content they create through creations that elicit negative emotions like self-doubt and inadequacy. Moreover, there is the pressure of competition on social media owing to such parameters as likes and shares.

4.4.2 Key Finding 6:

The openness and the lack of restrictions regarding the use of such platforms entail a detrimental impact on adolescents’ mental health. Distractions such as negative comments, cyberbullying, and social pressure toward success are some of the main fears that counterproductively eclipse the positive aspects of creation.

4.5 Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors

Another aspect of the study was to also understand how the socio-cultural factors affect adolescents in terms of their usage of social media and creative activities. This research revealed that the various groups of adolescents depending on their socio-economic and cultural backgrounds preserved different amounts of resources and received different support regarding creativity. For instance, participants with higher socioeconomic status could easily access resources that supported their creative process; cameras, video-editing software, and art equipment.

Other factors that influenced adolescents’ social media use included cultural beliefs and perceptions that parents had towards social media. At some point, there was reduced creativity, that is; traditions and culture banned some form of artistic freedom hence making adolescents lack freedom in whatever they posted online.

4.5.1 Key Finding 7:

The majority of the students from the supportive family environment, make constructive use of social media. This is because they have their families backing them through the provision of encouragement as well as resources that go into their creative work.

4.5.2 Key Finding 8:

Hence, cultural expectations can play a huge role in determining what context the adolescents feel is acceptable to share on social media platforms. Traditional adolescents are more careful when it comes to creating or sharing content that is personal or creative since they are afraid to be penalized.

4.6 The Role of Educational Institutions

In this study, it was established that schools and colleges played a significant role in positively directing youths to the appropriate use of new technologies, particularly social networks. Focusing on schools, libraries, and community centers, special programs in creative arts, and digital literacy were instrumental in influencing teenagers in the choice of more appropriate social media content. Contrary to that, those programs offered students a set of organized tasks through which they could develop their creativity and produce items for exhibition purposes within a group or classroom setting.

Interviewees who had access to such programs said they used social media in a more controlled and purposeful way as they learned how useful it can be. Employing these platforms they were able to benefit not only in terms of social relationships but, in learning and development.

4.6.1 Key Finding 9:

Creative arts programs should be incorporated into schools to enhance the effective and healthy use of social media among adolescents. These programs offer secured and systematic phase modes of activities whereby the students can freely practice their talents in the arts.

4.6.2 Key Finding 10:

Adolescents encouraged the development of the concepts of digital literacy to enable them to manage social networking sites. To ensure that they benefit from social media in improving their creative ability without falling prey to issues of social media, the participants called for more directions on how to use social media properly.

4.7 Summary of Findings

Consequently, this study proves that by utilizing creative stations, there is a possibility of guiding adolescents toward constructive social network usage. Thus, recognizing the aspects of creativity in creative activities can promote the desired positive impact on social media activities; however, it is crucial to struggle with the identified threats and obstacles. It therefore underlines the need to promote a supportive environment in homes and schools to instill positive social media practices among teens. When a teenager has the freedom to draw, paint, sculpt, or write they will turn social media use into a constructive activity, which helps them grow and be healthy.

4.8 Conclusion

This chapter presents the major findings of this research work, explaining how creativity affects the use of social media among adolescents. The findings of the study imply that positive strategies for creative pursuits, accompanied by structuring the support and resources should help adolescents to better utilize social media and achieve personal satisfaction. The policy and implications for this study will be described in the next chapter and suggestions as to how educators, parents, and policymakers can assist adolescents to use social media constructively through creative pursuits will be provided. Therefore, it is evident that there is a need to adopt a more comprehensive intervention approach towards the use of emerging technologies that incorporates art involvement with computer competency programs to create a healthier outcome of the young people’s usage of the new technology.

CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

5. 1 Discussion 

 This chapter aims to contextualize and interpret the findings from the study “Sharing of Creative Expressions: An Experimental Study to Divert Adolescents Towards Constructive Use of Social Media. ” The study, “ The Power of Art and Self-Expression in Reducing Negative Social Media Use Among Adolescents”, sought to understand on how cultural, artistic, and recreational processes can affect teenagers’ interactions on media platforms, and whether these would translate to positive and appropriate behaviors. The discussion is organized around the key themes identified in the findings: trends of utilizing social media, the efficiency of creativity, issues, and limitations, the influence of socio-cultural factors, and learning institutions. These themes are discussed concerning research literature and reveal a more profound insight into the consequences of development and social media on adolescents. 

 5. 1. 1 Creative Use of Social Media

 It was found that creativity in social media applications such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube is not only currently popular among adolescents but also plays a very important role in the manifestation of self-expression and can help regulate emotions. The individuals who took part in these activities claimed they got a sense of accomplishment and personal development, which goes hand in hand with the published research on the overwhelmingly positive effect of creativity. Smith and Dobson (2018) have found that creative outlet is a beneficial thing for the person, as it helps them work through their feelings and what happened to them in a constructive manner which enhances their emotional well-being. 

 Self-organizing leading property in this study is creativity where adolescent who share their creative work online were more self-aware and emotionally intelligent. Such results imply that creative interaction on social networks is beneficial for development during the years of adolescence, which, in turn, confirms the assumption that creativity can promote resilience and the regulation of emotions. Art, music, or writing, which is included in the curriculum or offered as an extracurricular activity, enables adolescents to cope with stress and anxiety arising from feelings and emotional changes at that age.

Moreover, the study also established the fact that social media can play a role in providing support to youths in the form of aesthetic and social relatedness to communities of a similar nature. This is an important observation especially on the background of adolescence when peer relations play an important role. The adoptive friendships that these people make coming from ‘similar groups’ help reduce feelings of loneliness and help in building a healthy self-identity as well. Nevertheless, it is worth noting that positivity associated with the use of social media depends on how the social platforms are employed. As this and many other examples show, social media may be used constructively to facilitate our personal development, as well as the enshrinement of social bonds; on the other hand, misinformation yields negative results, while overutilization, as you will see in the subsequent sections, has equally catastrophic effects. 

5.1.2 Challenges and Barriers to Constructive Use

 However, the study shows the possible advantages of the creative use of social networks, as well as the main problems that adolescents encounter. The most significant problem is the tendency of adhering to the popular social media trends the majority of the concerns are developed to be popular regardless of their actual value. This pressure is aggravated by profiles that operate as a social media service, in which the purpose of work is to like, share, and positive comments. This is in line with the study by Twenge and Campbell (2019) who note that the drive that social media puts in place through validation seeking is the worst thing that can happen to the user as it results in issues like anxiety and depression. 

 The participants sighed, felt like quitters, and had low self-esteem especially when their creative works did not generate the anticipated level of engagement. This highlights a critical downside of social media: trust in others’ opinions and judgments or the over-reliance on external stimuli. In the case where teenagers depend on social media feedback for their identity, then poor performance might give them a lot of stress and anxiety. In line with this verification, Valkenburg and Peter (2011) concluded that correlated social media negatively influences mental health, especially those users who possess weak psychological profiles. 

 Also, the ever-annoying notification notis that people receive on social media applications, and the abundant amount of content posted by users, were considered to hinder adolescents in terms of concentration, thus preventing them from being creative. It is this situation familiarly known as digital overload that causes the ability of adolescents to focus intensely on their creative endeavors to deteriorate. Based on the research done for this study one can conclude that creativity can be found on social media pages and, at the same time, managing social media profiles presents an uncountable number of difficulties related to time management and self-discipline. 

 These challenges therefore call for proper ways of how youth would better manage their use of social media platforms. Prevention efforts should be concentrated on promoting the adolescent’s self-regulation abilities and on such strategies that would enable the youth to get the advantages of using this technology and at the same time avoid the possible negative effects.

5.1.3 Impact of Socio-Cultural Factors

It turned out that socio-cultural factors were of great importance to how youths in their adolescence use SNS and practice creativity. It was discovered that youth from the higher classes received a lot of support from their parents regarding their artistic endeavors and possessed better equipment like cameras, programs for video editing, and paints. This allowed them to participate in creative activities and at the same develop the quality of the content produced. In this regard, this finding can be explained by the phenomenon referred to as the ‘digital divide’, that is the differences in opportunities people have within accessing digital resources (Livingstone & Helsper, 2007). 

 The digital divide poses a major challenge to adolescent development because the digital gap is likely to widen existing disparities and restrict the creativity of disadvantaged groups. C, Young people growing up in low-economic brackets may find it challenging to benefit from the digital creativity of the world missing the ability to form companionship through social forums such as social media. Therefore, there is a need for development in the socio-economic factor of digital resources for teenagers so that people of this age can develop their creativity. 

 Cultural beliefs and attitudes that parents had towards social media were also found to have significantly influenced the adolescents’ use of social media. The female adolescents of traditional family backgrounds mentioned that they felt kind of restricted in the use of social media in the way they wanted to portray themselves. This cultural influence typically results in a more conservative way of expressing or discussing content because teenagers can shy away from certain topics or ways of presenting them that may be deemed politically incorrect or socially unfit by their cultures. 

 Thus, considering the results of the study, it is possible to state that cultural norms can either help or prevent adolescents from creative activity in social networks. It should, however, be noted that when adolescents cross the threshold from childhood to adolescence they have access to resources and are in some supportive environment where creativity is fostered, they are most likely to use social media positively. On the other hand, the constraints that may be placed by culture or family may make adolescents feel restricted in how much they can produce artistic work. These results signify the importance of complex and holistic analysis of sociocultural impact on adolescent performance online especially in terms of creativity.

5.1.4 The Role of Educational Institutions

The following institutions were considered to be the main figures in helping adolescents become properly oriented in using social networks: The study noted that schools that have community centers, which provide programming in creative art and digital literacy were most helpful to the youth in ensuring that their use of social media is well directed. These programs promoted organized creativity constructions under which the adolescents participated in the creative construction process while also understanding the correct use of technology. 

 Those who were to avail of these programs accrued a positive experience of social media and a productive application of this platform in conventional learning as well as other purposes. This finding is in concordance with other studies arguing that to prepare the youths effectively for survival in the cyber world, education on digital literacy is compulsory (Buckingham, 2015). When students are empowered to understand well how social media may be used responsibly educational institutions stand to help youngsters develop healthy habits for their online usage and hence minimize the negative implications of their online engagement. 

 Further, the study noted that creative arts programs that are run in schools aided in boosting the creativity of the students, in addition to offering them safe space to practice their art. These programs focused on assisting adolescents to acknowledge the existence of positive parts of self and encouraging them to feel that life is worth living, and therefore this reduced cases of violating the rights of others through negative social media. Therefore it was concluded that the use and combination of innovative art and digital literacy in school can positively and significantly influence the developmental phase of adolescents and this will make the use of social media more constructive and useful.

5.2 Conclusion

This study provides a comprehensive examination of the connection between creativity and social media engagement among adolescents, to give a better understanding of young people’s behavior in their interactions with social media platforms. What the research revealed is that when youths create one artistic skill or dramatic performance, on one social media platform, then they will reap numerous benefits that assist in their further personal growth.

More concretely, creative practice is associated with better ways of handling one’s emotions, enhanced awareness, and better social relations. Most of these benefits are realized during adolescence which is one of the most sensitive stages in a person’s development process in the aspects of identity and emotions. Nature, creativity, or any form of artistic freedom allows youths to express their emotions and thoughts and improves their emotional health thus making their personalities more sound. 

 The research also reveals that when adolescents have creative media, especially social media, they find a feeling of belongingness. This is important since adolescents are dependent on social relationships which play a great role in concept development, and mental health well-being. Adolescents can showcase their creativity on Web 2. 0 platforms and be able to find other like-minded youths who support their efforts and give encouragement. It can help mitigate the loneliness that is often connected with adolescence thus allowing the youngsters to feel less alone and more understood. 

 However, the study also reveals the potential problems of youth using social networks, which were mentioned above. The first concern is the actual influence of society that enforces certain standards that adolescents do not need to be themselves but rather be famous. This pressure is further amplified by the fact that most social media platforms are addictive by their very nature, thanks to the use of identification, notifications, and feedback that they use to hook their users. This paper established that to seek this approval in the form of likes, shares, and positive comments, the youth end up suffering from anxiety, low self-esteem, and depressive symptoms. Teenagers who seek validation of their selves on social media may end up being in a loop and thus become unhealthy in this process. 

In addition, sociocultural barriers to constructive use of social media are also highlighted as well as the digital divide. For example, creative experience can easily be defined as the possession of high-quality cameras, editing tools, and software, as well as access to a reliable internet connection; these are hard to come by within lower socio-economic levels. Not only does it deny them an effective means for bonding into the digital culture but it also reinforces inequality as those who in the first place have better resources produce better content hence gaining the much-needed hits on the net. Further, cultural beliefs and parental attitudes toward social media help or hamper adolescents’ creativity on social network sites. If the family’s ideas on what is acceptable content are more traditional or conservative, the adolescent may feel that he/she cannot post that kind/type of content thus limiting what he/she is creating or even using social media at all. 

 Establishments of learning are presented in a strategic role of handling these issues. These findings stress the need to incorporate more creative arts and digital literacy programs into the curriculum of schools to assist young people in becoming healthier and more responsible social media users. Such programs could be helpful to the extent of giving adolescents a programmed way to practice their creative skills as they learn how to handle digital technologies. Thus, by engaging its learners in learning the proper and ineffective uses of Social Media, schools can enable the learners to benefit from social media platforms by having a positive impact on social well-being as opposed to a negative impact. Furthermore, the involvement of creative arts in the development of programs for adolescents, in turn, can provide a favorable context where adolescents can discover, develop, and gradually engage in extramural activities about others. 

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