Anjali Samson | International journal of Nursing Science Practice and Research | Vol 11, Issue 01 | pp. 23-33 | ISSN: 2455-6351
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Adolescents worldwide now engage with social media daily, with social media addiction emerging as a psycho-behavioral condition marked by excessive, uncontrollable use and compulsive attention to social media. This addiction has been associated with various negative health outcomes. As social media's popularity continues to rise, concerns about its impact on teenage health and well-being have gained significant social and academic focus. Given these concerns, there is an urgent need for research on social media addiction and its consequences to inform effective prevention strategies. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to assess the prevalence of social media addiction among adolescents in an urban community. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A quantitative approach was employed, involving a descriptive research design of 480 adolescents aged 10-19 years selected by a purposive sampling from Nai Basti, New Delhi. Socio-demographic data were collected, and a social media addiction scale was utilized to evaluate levels of addiction. NEED FOR THE STUDY: Given that the average millennial with internet access spends approximately 3.2 hours daily (22.4 hours weekly) on mobile devices, this study seeks to examine social media addiction specifically within the adolescent demographic of this community. RESULTS: The demographic analysis highlights key patterns among adolescent respondents. Most (58.33%) are aged 13-15, indicating a developmental stage where social media use is prevalent. Females (58.33%) outnumber males (41.66%), aligning with studies that show women often seek social interaction online. Many respondents (51.66%) are in grades 5-7, reflecting early exposure to social media and concerns about its impact on academics. Economically, 80.20% of families earn ≤10,000, suggesting financial constraints on technology access. Family structure reveals a predominance of nuclear families (57.29%) and single-parent households (37.5%), affecting emotional support. Nearly all respondents (99.79%) primarily use mobile phones for internet access, with VIVO smartphones (58.33%) being the most common. Social media addiction is alarming, with 97% of respondents showing varying levels of dependency; 55% fall into the moderate addiction category. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the findings reveal that 97.06% of adolescents are experiencing social media addiction. Among these, 41.66% exhibit mild addiction, while 55.0% show moderate levels of addiction. Only a small fraction, 0.4%, display severe addiction to media and mobile phones.
Keywords: Survey, Assessment, Social Media Addiction, Adolescents, Urban Community.
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How to cite this article
@article{SamsonA2025,
author = {Anjali Samson},
title = {A Descriptive Survey to Assess the Level of Social Media Addiction Among Adolescents in an Urban Community in New Delhi, India},
journal = {International journal of Nursing Science Practice and Research},
year = {2025},
volume = {11},
number = {01},
pages = {23--33},
issn = {2455-6351},
url = {https://journalspub.com/publication/ijnspr/article=16686}
}