A mixed methods study to explore the impacts of screens and social media use on mental health, sleep, and physical activity among adolescents in China

Wang, Haihui (2024). A mixed methods study to explore the impacts of screens and social media use on mental health, sleep, and physical activity among adolescents in China. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

Preview

Wang2024PhD.pdf
Text
Available under License All rights reserved.
Download (3MB) | Preview

Abstract

Generation Z adolescents grow up in a social media environment. Some studies based in Western countries and high-income countries have shown social media use is associated with several health-related outcomes. This study focuses on Chinese adolescents, given the unique social media context of China, and explores the association between screen time, mobile phone and social media use, and a series of health-related outcomes (mental wellbeing, sleep, and physical activity).

The study is a mixed methods design. The quantitative study involved 4791 Chinese adolescents (ages 12–15, years 2020-2021) in a cross-sectional survey. The qualitative study involved 48 adolescents (ages 12-15, years 2020-2021) who participated in 8 focus groups. Findings from the two studies were integrated through the explanatory design.

The results of the quantitative study indicated that moderate social media (less than 2 hours) use may have beneficial associations with health outcomes such as higher mental wellbeing, and lower depression, and higher intensity activity in leisure time. Greater than two hours of social media use had detrimental associations with a wide range of health problems, such as poorer sleep quality, higher levels of anxiety, less numbers of days adolescents are physically active for at least 60 minutes, and less sleep duration. The findings of the qualitative study centred on three main themes of interaction, accessibility, and supervision in relation to social media use and physical activity: adolescents communicated with peers, celebrities, internet celebrities, and friends about physical activity on social media; it provided a range of opportunities and resources for learning about physical activity; and social media also acted as a supervisory tool for adolescents' physical activity. The mixed methods study, through integration of the findings relating to the associations between social media use and physical activity and the qualitative findings relating to the content and types of physical activities accessed through social media, brings a more comprehensive understanding of how social media affects adolescents' physical activity.

This study provides a better understanding of the uses of social media in relation to mental health/wellbeing, sleep, and physical activity among Chinese adolescents, mitigating the research gap left by previous studies conducted in Western countries and high-income countries. The findings of the mixed methods study will help to inform future public health approaches to encouraging physical activity in this age group using social media as a tool. This may also have wider relevance to public health approaches which aim to promote adolescents' development and health.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):