Exploring Adolescents' Experiences of Digital Communication and Its Influence on Psychosocial wellbeing and Academic Life

Abstract

This research examines the experiences of adolescents with the usage of digital communication and its impact on their psychosocial wellbeing and academic life to define the trends of positive and negative outcomes. Digital interaction among adolescents has been a part of their social lives and schooling activities due to the popularity of social media, messaging applications, and online learning systems. Although digital tools represent a chance of connection and learning, their overuse and passive use can be related to stress, anxiety, social comparison, and distraction with academic activities. The qualitative method was utilized, 11 adolescent students were interviewed in-depth from various colleges in Lahore city. Thematic analysis was used to examine the personal experiences, patterns of use, and perceived effects of digital communication on emotional, social, and academic aspects. Results indicated a two-fold effect of online communication. Emotional support, peer connection, and increased collaborative learning were found to have a positive impact, and emotional distress, social comparison, reduced focus, and sleep patterns were identified as negative outcomes. The intensity of usage, the type of platform, and self-regulation strategies were found to modify individual experiences. It is recommended to enhance the psychosocial wellbeing and academic results of adolescents with the help of interventions that would facilitate their digital literacy, mindful use of time, and self-regulation