An investigation into the correlation between social media usage and a low self-esteem score

Abstract

The average time spent daily on social media is roughly 2 ½ hours; such an amount of exposure can cause detriment to an individual’s self-esteem (Chaffey, 2022). A correlation study is conducted to determine if there is an association between social media usage and low self-esteem scores. Participants anonymously self-reported both variables through a Google form that was distributed via convenience sampling. Self-esteem was measured through the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and time spent on networking sites was measured by daily and weekly usage. Microsoft Excel was used to construct a linear regression model and other statistical tests (ie, computing Pearson R-value). An insignificant association was found between the two variables; daily usage of Instagram and TikTok revealed a positive correlation strength of 0.205, while weekly use had a negative correlation strength of 0.172. It must be advised that there are several limitations in this study, thus the findings are in no way conclusive.

Faculty Mentor: John Fedoruk