THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the methodological and conceptual foundations of the future study of the degree of influence of social networks on the psychological health of modern adolescents in connection with their personal characteristics of virtual communication. The relevance of the study is due to the development of modern technologies, in particular gadgets, through which the person is constantly online, resulting in a growing share of virtual communication in the total amount of social interactions of the individual. The use of social networks has both negative and positive sides. The main advantage of communication in social networks is to keep in touch with friends, relatives at a distance. The negative side of social networks is that they are becoming a large-scale platform for threats, harassment and cyberbullying. Communication in social networks is a relatively new phenomenon, so the exact effect on mental health and emotional well-being of young people is currently unclear. However, recent studies have raised serious concerns about the possible harmful effects on the psychological well-being of young people. This kind of communication does not unite people, often having an adverse effect on mental health, personal development and self-esteem of adolescents. These individual characteristics are markers of psychological distress, which, in turn, determine the level of mental health. We assume that the level of pathological involvement in social networks by adolescents may be associated with subclinical depression, anxiety, feeling of loneliness, a feeling of constant tension and a subjective experience of stress.