Exploring the Influence of Social Networking on Emotional Well-Being among Generation Z Students in Kisii County

Abstract

Social media has enabled people to communicate freely with anyone around the world. Today, social media generally impacts people’s daily lives and Gen Z students in particular. The study was undertaken in tertiary institutions in Kisii County, Kenya with the purpose of establishing the implication of social networking on the emotional well-being of Gen Z students. The study’s main objective was to; establish the influence of social networking on the emotional well-being of Gen Z students in tertiary institutions in Kisii County, Kenya. The study adopted Pragmatic paradigm and employed a convergent parallel mixed methods approach that was guided by both Uses and Gratifications and Social Network theories. Data was generated from a sample of 396 Gen Z students that was derived by use of the formula for calculating samples by Yamane from the targeted student population of 36,820. It also included 5 deans of students from five out of 10 tertiary institutions. The participants were selected through probability sampling that entailed stratified multistage and simple random for the students. For the deans of students, purposive sampling design was employed. A pilot study was conducted to ensure reliability of the instruments. The reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s Coefficient Alpha which was above .74 from 5 items. Additionally, quantitative data was analyzed by descriptive statistics. The descriptive statistic method was employed for getting the frequency, mean and percentage. The findings of the study showed that Gen Z students were actively involved in social networking with different motives for engagement. They also access different types of content through various platforms some which may be emotionally useful and some harmful to their well-being. It also recommends the incorporation of emotional wellness and digital counseling into student support systems and establishment of peer mentorship initiatives to strengthen real-life emotional bonds.