Social Networking Sites and Their Influence on the Self Esteem of Adolescents in Embu County, Kenya

As technology improves and advances, social networking sites have an even bigger impact on society and human relationships, both positive and negative. Social networking sites have influence on teenagers in the way they develop socially. The way teenagers are connected to these global SNSs is both a frightening prospect for parents and educators and an intriguing area for social science research. Further there is no comprehensive knowledge of the activities adolescents do on these sites as well as how they impact their social life. This study therefore sought to specifically investigate the influence of social networking sites on the self-esteem of adolescents in secondary schools in Embu County Kenya. The researcher adopted a descriptive survey design. The target population of the respondents for this research was secondary school students and teachers in Embu County. Random sampling technique was used to select five boarding schools for the study sample. From each school, fifteen students and three teachers was selected for each unit of analysis to make a total sample of one fifty students and 15 teachers selected from the target population. The data collection instruments designed for the researches were questionnaires, Rosenberg self-esteem scale, and interview schedules. The questionnaires and Rosenberg self-esteem scale was designed for the students while interview guides were for teachers. Data collected was analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). The study concluded that almost all the students use social network sites, therefore that social networking is very common among students who are in secondary schools. Facebook topped the list of the most common social site used by secondary schools students. The study further concludes that various students have different motivation for visiting the social networking sites. The study further concluded that social networking influence the self-esteem and psychological wellbeing of secondary school student. The study recommends that secondary schools students should be given guidance and counseling on how to positively utilize the social networking sites to their advantage and not to have a negative impact on their self-esteem. Keywords: Social Networking Sites, Self-esteem, Psychological well-being