ISSN:1539-1590 | E-ISSN:2573-7104
Vol. 5 No. 2, (2023)
© 2023 The Authors
6484
DO SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES IMPACT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELLBEING
OF EMERGING ADULTS DURING EARLY ADULTHOOD? A COMPREHENSIVE
STUDY
Daisy Gohain
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Lady Doak College, Madurai, India
email daisygohain@ldc.edu.in
Tanusree Chakraborty
Faculty of Management Studies, Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, India, email
ID- tannu2677@gmail.com
Koperundevi G
Assistant Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Lady Doak College, Madurai, India, email
ID- koperundevi@ldc.edu.in,
Abstract
Social networking sites wield a profound influence on an individual's psychological well-being,
serving as a significant feature in our daily existence. This study delves into the impact of social
networking sites on the psychological well-being of college students within the realm of emerging
adulthood. Employing a survey methodology, data were gathered through Ryff's Psychological
Well-being scale and Social Networking Sites scales, focusing on a sample size of 117 respondents
within the emerging adulthood age group. Utilizing the Pearson Correlation method for analysis,
the results find a noteworthy correlation between social networking sites and psychological well-
being. Further exploration reveals that factors such as autonomy and cognitive need,
environmental mastery and affective need, autonomy and personal integrative need, diversion and
social integrative need, as well as social integrative need and affective need, are all significantly
influenced. This suggests that social networking sites contribute positively to the psychological
well-being of emerging adults, impacting areas such as autonomy, environmental mastery,
personal growth, relationships, sense of purpose, and self-acceptance. This study sheds light on
the positive perception of utilizing social networking sites, emphasizing the notion that the
relationship between social networking sites and the well-being of emerging adults is a healthy
one. It reinforces the idea that young adults are cognizant of both the advantages and drawbacks
of engaging with social networking platforms.
Keywords: social networking sites, PWB, autonomy, personal growth, social integrative needs,
positive relations, purpose in life, self-acceptance
I. INTRODUCTION
Today's young adults and adolescents find themselves deeply immersed in the world of social
networking sites (SNS) (Karácsony et al., 2020), shaping a significant part of their daily lives. The