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Can Social Media Use Be More Health-Promoting? Description and Pilot Evaluation of a School-Based Program to Increase Awareness and Reflection on the Use of Social Media

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  • Amanda Iselin Olesen Andersen
  • Turi Reiten FinserÃ¥s
  • Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland
  • Tormod Bøe
  • Børge Sivertsen
  • Ian Colman
  • Randi Træland Hella
  • Jens Christoffer Skogen

Abstract

Social media plays a significant role in adolescents’ lives, with both positive and negative effects. Implementing interventions to mitigate the negative aspects and enhance the positive ones could improve adolescents’ well-being. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of evidence-based interventions available. To fill this gap, we have developed a school-based program based on combining evidence-based and consensus-based approaches, incorporating input from adolescents, school personnel, researchers, and municipal advisers. This paper describes the program’s content and principles, and presents the results from a pilot evaluation, which assesses feedback from pupils and teachers, thereby informing potential enhancements and the program’s overall significance. The intervention description encompasses theoretical perspectives, behavior change techniques, and procedural details. Pupils ( n  = 266; 16+ years) evaluated the program concerning satisfaction, relevance, importance, and usefulness through a questionnaire. Additionally, exploratory focus group interviews were conducted with seven teachers and eleven pupils to gather their perspectives on the program’s relevance, impact, and potential changes to the theme-based teaching. Results from the pilot showed an average score of 7.3/10 for overall satisfaction with the program. Sub-questions assessing perceived relevance, engagement, and usefulness averaged between 6.7 and 7.5. Gender differences were observed, with boys tending to rate the program lower than girls. In focus group interviews, the pupils expressed increasing awareness of their own and others’ social media use, that the topic was important and exciting, and that the program generally worked well. The pupils’ evaluation indicates the need for this kind of program described in this study.

Suggested Citation

  • Amanda Iselin Olesen Andersen & Turi Reiten FinserÃ¥s & Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland & Tormod Bøe & Børge Sivertsen & Ian Colman & Randi Træland Hella & Jens Christoffer Skogen, 2024. "Can Social Media Use Be More Health-Promoting? Description and Pilot Evaluation of a School-Based Program to Increase Awareness and Reflection on the Use of Social Media," SAGE Open, , vol. 14(2), pages 21582440241, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:14:y:2024:i:2:p:21582440241249538
    DOI: 10.1177/21582440241249538
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Chiungjung Huang, 2022. "A meta-analysis of the problematic social media use and mental health," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 68(1), pages 12-33, February.
    2. Jens Christoffer Skogen & Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland & Tormod Bøe & Randi Træland Hella & Ann Kristin Knudsen, 2021. "Through the Looking Glass of Social Media. Focus on Self-Presentation and Association with Mental Health and Quality of Life. A Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-16, March.
    3. Seyedezahra Shadi Erfani & Babak Abedin, 2018. "Impacts of the use of social network sites on users' psychological well†being: A systematic review," Journal of the Association for Information Science & Technology, Association for Information Science & Technology, vol. 69(7), pages 900-912, July.
    4. Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland & Viktor Schønning & Bodil Elisabeth Valstad Aasan & Randi Træland Hella & Jens Christoffer Skogen, 2021. "Pupils’ Use of Social Media and Its Relation to Mental Health from a School Personnel Perspective: A Preliminary Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(17), pages 1-15, August.
    5. Kietzmann, Jan H. & Hermkens, Kristopher & McCarthy, Ian P. & Silvestre, Bruno S., 2011. "Social media? Get serious! Understanding the functional building blocks of social media," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 241-251, May.
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