scholarly journals What's Happened to Italian Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic? A Preliminary Study on Symptoms, Problematic Social Media Usage, and Attachment: Relationships and Differences With Pre-pandemic Peers

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefania Muzi ◽  
Alessandra Sansò ◽  
Cecilia Serena Pace

Italian adolescents were confined at home for 3 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed them to feelings of fear, uncertainty, and loneliness that may have increased their vulnerability to emotional-behavioral symptoms (e.g., anxiety) and binge-eating attitudes. Potential risk factors for these psychopathological symptoms are problematic social media usage and attachment insecurity. Therefore, this study aimed: (1) to assess emotional-behavioral symptoms, binge eating, problematic social media usage, and attachment representations of adolescents during the pandemic, comparing them with prepandemic similar samples; (2) to investigate relationships among variables, exploring the role of problematic social media usage and insecure attachment as risk factors for more psychopathological symptoms. Participants were 62 community adolescents aged 12–17 years, enrolled through schools, and assessed online through the following measures: Youth Self-Report for emotional-behavioral problems, Binge-Eating Scale for binge eating, Social Media Disorder Scale for problematic social media usage, and the Friends and Family Interview for attachment. The main results were: (1) 9.4% of adolescents showed clinical rates of emotional-behavioral symptoms and 4.8% of binge eating attitudes. The comparison with pre-pandemic samples revealed that pandemic teenagers showed lower internalizing, but higher other problems (e.g., binge drinking, self-destructive behaviors) and more problematic social media usage than pre-pandemic peers. No differences in binge-eating attitudes and attachment were revealed (76% secure classifications). (2) Problematic social media usage was related to more binge eating and emotional-behavioral problems, predicting 5.4% of both delinquent and attention problems. Attachment disorganization predicted 16.5% of internalizing problems, somatic complaints, and social and identity-related problems. In conclusion, confinement did not increase adolescents' internalizing symptoms -i.e., vulnerability to mood disorders of an anxious-depressive type- which even decreased. However, teenagers may have expressed their discomfort through other problems and symptoms of social media disorder. Further studies should explore the role of adolescents' problematic social media usage and attachment insecurity as risk factors for additional psychopathological symptoms.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-51
Author(s):  
Simran Kaur Madan ◽  
Payal S. Kapoor

The research, based on uses and gratifications theory, identifies consumer motivation and factors that influence consumers' intention to follow brands on the social media platform of Instagram. Accordingly, this study empirically examines the role of need for self-enhancement, the need for entertainment, and deal-seeking behaviour on the intention to follow brands on Instagram. Further, the study investigates the mediation of social media usage behaviour for consumption decisions on eliciting brand following behaviour. Moderation of consumer skepticism on the relationship of deal-seeking behaviour, and intention to follow brands is also investigated. Findings reveal a significant direct effect of need for self-enhancement, need for entertainment, and deal-seeking behaviour on intention to follow brands. Indirect effect of social media usage behaviour for consumption decisions was also significant; however, moderation of consumer skepticism was not found to be significant. The study will help marketers create engaging content that enables consumer-brand interactions.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Castro Pires de Souza Chimenti ◽  
Marco Aurelio de Souza Rodrigues ◽  
Marcelo Guedes Carneiro ◽  
Roberta Dias Campos

Purpose Through a literature review, a gap has been identified regarding the role of competition as a driver of social network (SN) usage. This study aims to design to address this gap, seeking motivators for SN usage based on how SN consumption may be related to users’ experience of competition. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of competition in social media usage. Design/methodology/approach The authors used an exploratory qualitative approach, conducting a set of focus groups with young social media users. Data was analyzed with software. Findings Two new drivers for SN use are proposed, namely, competition and collective narrative. Research limitations/implications This is an exploratory study, and it does not seek to generalize results or quantify causal relationships among variables. Practical implications This paper offers SN managers a deeper understanding of key growth drivers for these media. Social implications This research can help society understand and debate the impacts of SNs on users’ lives, providing insights into drivers of excessive usage. Originality/value This paper proposes the following two SN usage drivers yet to be described in the literature: competition and collective narrative.


Author(s):  
Sylvaine Castellano ◽  
Insaf Khelladi

New opportunities and challenges are emerging thanks to the growing Internet importance and social media usage. Although practitioners have already recognized the strategic dimension of e-reputation and the power of social media, academic research is still in its infancy when it comes to e-reputation determinants in a social networks context. A study was conducted in the sports setting to explore the impact of social networks on the sportspeople's e-reputation. Whereas the study emphasized (1) the influence of social networks' perception on the sportspeople's e-reputation, and the neutral roles of (2) the motives for following sportspeople online, and (3) the negative content on the Internet, additional insights are formulated on maintaining, restoring and managing e-reputation on social networks. Finally, future research directions are suggested on the role of image to control e-reputation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1174-1195
Author(s):  
Yasser Maghsoudi Ganjeh ◽  
Naser Khani ◽  
Akbar Alem Tabriz

Purpose This paper aims to propose and test a research model that links social media usage with networking capabilities on the commercialization performance. Design/methodology/approach The target population of this study consisted of 530 managers and experts in knowledge-based firms in Science and Technology Parks of Isfahan (Iran), which were active in the electronics and electronic engineering, bio, renewable energy, nano and information and communication technologies. To determine the effects of the social media and networking capability on the commercialization performance in knowledge-based firms, this study collected the data through a questionnaire survey with knowledge-based firms and conducted statistical analysis. The unit of analysis is the entire firm. The random sampling method was applied in this study. This study mainly uses the validated existing scales of previous studies on Likert-type scales with response options ranging from 1 to 5. To increase the response rate and accuracy, the researchers in this study also conducted phone and e-mail survey. A total of 230 questionnaires were conducted to remove the questionnaires with inadequate or missing answers, and the final 220 cases were selected as valid samples. Findings First, this research confirmed that social media usage can positively improve commercialization performance. Second, this research confirmed the mediating role of the networking capability on the relationship between social media usage and commercialization performance. In fact, social media tools represent a potential vehicle to help firms create better relationships with partners and increase commercialization performance via these mechanisms. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing literature by integrating the domains of social media usage and business networks perspective. Social media has revolutionized the way firms interact with business partners. A salient characteristic of today’s business setting is that partners use social media to nurture and sustain their network relationships with others (Kim et al., 2016). Moreover, based on the dynamic capability theory and business networks perspective, the authors introduce the impression management capability as a networking capability dimension that has been neglected and mentioned only briefly.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Khalid Mahmmod Ahmad Mansour ◽  
Fayez Jomah Saleh Al-Najjar

This study aimed to shed the light on the role of Social Media usage in the innovative behavior through the recent information technology (IT) in the organizations specialized in the information and communication technology (ICT) field. The study population consisted of the ICT organizations operating in Jordan as affiliated with the Information and Communication Technology Association (INTAJ) amounting to 161 organization. The analysis unit consisted of the managers in the top and middle level. The study relied on the simple random sample; and it reached a number of conclusions the most important of which is that the perceptions by respondents of the independent variable Social Media Usage were medium; and the same applies to all its dimensions. The dependent variable Innovative Behavior was also medium, as well as all its dimensions. As for the mediator variable IT, the respondents' perceptions were high, along with all its dimensions. The study indicated that there is a statistically significant impact for the Social Media usage with its component on the innovative behavior. Also, it was found that a statistically significant impact for the Social Media usage with its component on the innovative behavior through the IT in the organizations operating in the ICT field in Jordan. These conclusions indicated that there is an opportunity for the ICT organizations to promote its innovative behavior through the Social Media usage. Based on the reached conclusions, the study concluded a set of recommendations the most important of which is that the awareness should be increased with respect to the capacities that are available due to the use of the Social Media as well as the advantages that can be utilized by the ICT organizations in Jordan through this use; the organization should well utilize the Social Media usage especially the Groups and Sharing by taking the necessary decision that lead to the activation of the Social Media role in the various phases of the innovative behavior; and the need for the organizations to direct the use of Social Media through the dissemination of a culture of innovation based on the use of Social Media.


2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
P O-ium

Abstract Introduction Recent increased in the prevalence of behavioral problems among young adults has coincided with the raised of popularity of Internet usage including handheld technologies, electronic game and social media among adolescent. However, these information in Thailand is limited. Therefore, this study aim to investigate the association between social media misused and behavioral problems among adolescent in Thailand. Materials and methods The cross-sectional was conducted at 7 public schools located in Central of Thailand in December 2018. The behavioral problems were assessed by using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors associated with the behavioral problems. Results The total of 1,118 were enrolled into the study. The prevalence of the social media misused and behavioral problems were 85% and 18.5%, respectively. The prevalence of the subscale behavioral problems were peer problem (21%), emotional problem (19%), hyperactivities (10%) and conduct problem (4%). The independent factors associated with behavioral problems were include sleep problem (OR = 3.3, 95%CI = 2.1-5.1), prosocial behavior (OR = 0.4, 95%CI =0.3-0.6), social media misused (OR = 2.5, 95%CI =1.7-3.8), Facebook addiction (OR = 1.8, 95%CI = 1.1-3.0) and Line addiction (OR = 2.8, 95%CI = 1.5-5.1). Conclusions This study highlight the association between the social media misused and high prevalence of behavioral problems among adolescent in Thailand. The information of the potential risk factors should be inform to all stakeholders for develop and implement the effective intervention for young adults in Thailand. Key messages The association between the social media misused and high prevalence of behavioral problems among adolescent in Thailand. The information of the potential risk factors should be informed to develop and implement the effective intervention for young adults in Thailand.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garima Gupta ◽  
Aastha Verma Vohra

With increasing proliferation of social media, there is an urgent need to examine how people engage in the social media as well as assess its role in shaping consumers' attitude and behaviour. Though the recent years have witnessed the interest of researchers in this regard, the studies have mostly been confined to analyzing the social media utilization patterns for their impact on online purchases and less emphasis has been laid on investigating its impact on the 'down side' of consumer behaviour as reflected through traits of materialism, impulse buying and conspicuous consumption. The present work makes an attempt to bridge this gap. Specifically, the study examines the influence of social media usage intensity on three behavioural traits as well as assesses the mediating role of electronic word-of-mouth in affecting this linkage. The paper also provides insights with respect to variation in the use intensity and behavioural traits across demographic components. Inputs from the present research can be used by marketers to not only leverage the power of social media and capture the changing consumer traits in favour of their brand but also to develop targeted and effective strategies to engage with their audience on this new platform.


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