Exploring the Nexus of Social Media Use and Youth Stress

Abstract

[Name] [University] 7 April 2024 RSCH 4050 Chapter 11-16 Week 12 Essay: Data Collection and Analysis [Name] The current research aims at using qualitative method to explore the connection between problematic social media use and stress amongst youths. This method will allow for a deeper exploration on the topic by digging deep into lived experiences, perspectives and behaviors of youths in relation to social media use and stress. The sample will be accessed from JWU students and community group (church youths) through random sampling to come up with a minimum of 200participants. I will access the participants through open engagements with them since I am student as well and a church member within the target sources of the sample. Analysis Approach I will use narrative analysis to analyze the study’s qualitative data. The narrative data will be gathered through interviews, focus groups and open-ended surveys (O’Leary, 2021). Asking open-ended questions will enable the participants to share their lived experiences in narrative forms giving so much detail in regard to the topic. I will design survey with open-ended questions to allow for such narrative responses. It will also be wise to transcribe interviews and the survey responses verbatim to capture the narrative accurately to ensure that the outcome of the study will remain based on exact responses from the sample participants. I will then familiarize myself with the data through repeated reading of the transcript to avoid unnecessary misinterpretation of the responses. Coding the data by identifying meaningful segments related to problematic social media use and stress and codes will remain descriptive or interpretive for logical conclusions at the end of the study. I will then look for patterns and connections within the coded segments to identify overarching themes that can best explain the connection between problematic social media use and stress amongst youths. I will employ thematic analysis to test a variety of variable in this study. The variables to examine will be demographics like age, ethnicity, gender and social status, social media use variables like frequency of use, type of platforms used, duration per session and reasons for using, stress variables like perceived stress levels, stress sources and coping mechanism and lastly problematic...