Effects of Electronic Media on Youth Health and Happiness

Electronic media is everywhere, and teens can't imagine living without it. Electronic media uses electronics or electromechanical methods to retrieve content.  Video games, SNSs, radio, TV, movies, the internet, mobile phones, and cell phones are examples. Electronic media consumption has risen worldwide and in India in the recent decade.  India's 460 million internet users make it the second-largest online market behind China.  By 2021, 635.8 million Indians will be online.  The TCSGenY poll found rising electronic media consumption in India.  A majority of India's 2/3 internet users are teens (12–29).  It is estimated that 31% of Indian Internet users are teens.  Electronic media has pros and cons. Early learning and exposure to new ideas are outweighed by health risks.  Despite having a huge population of children and young people, India does not have electronic media usage regulations for children and teens. Chinese and Korean authorities are developing treatment recommendations for internet addiction as a mental condition.  Numerous studies have indicated that electronic media affects teens' mental and physical health in industrialised countries.  However, Indian research is sparse. 

This study examined how media consumption affects teens' mental and social health. The internet and allied media are essential to modern conversation. As the fourth wave of communication following print, radio, television, and cinema, new media have changed lives worldwide.  "It took the radio 38 years, the TV 13 years, and the cable 10 years to reach an audience of 50 million households, but the new medium achieved it in 4 years" . Time and geography are no longer limitations owing to the new medium's unique technology. Due to technology convergence, the Internet has transformed the one-to-many paradigm of mass communication, enabling many-to-many networks. New media is spreading and impacting societies worldwide. 

This affects how we communicate economic information.  Neo-cultural elements impact food, thinking, fashion, and lives worldwide. Computers and smartphones are growing widespread in urban and rural areas. People calling themselves "netizens" and "digital communicators" are multiplying rapidly.  The "virtual world," a parallel civilisation made possible by information and communication technology, is an intriguing side consequence of this transformation. Post-2000 "virtual and digital generation"  New media enables cross-cultural and time-space connection. Several experts have examined how internet and media information affects different demographics. Experts have studied how media affects children's development from its inception. These are cross-domain research problems. Sociology, psychology, education, and communication scholars have filled and continue to fill the knowledge gap concerning the media's impact on kids' thinking, behaviours, family relationships, and academic achievement. 

The media sector uses mostly digital, shared, compact, and interactive technologies.  Web, computer-generated multimedia, video games, augmented reality, compact discs, and digital video discs are all considered "new media."  Any digital device may access content on-demand, user-generated content, and other interactive feedback and creative interaction are examples of "new media" in reality. The spontaneous generation of fresh content distinguishes modern media.  The first new media came in the late 20th century.  Another relationship between social trends and computer engineering was seen worldwide. Also, "development of new, digital technologies heralds a potentially drastic transformation of who is in control of information, experience, and resources,". Even as the "new media's" technological capabilities advance, social and economic factors resist. A global communications infrastructure based on audio, video, and electronic text has blurred the lines between private and public realms.

1.     To determine how common and extensive teenage use of electronic media is in Kerala's Thrissur district.

2.     To investigate the connection between teenage happiness and health and the use of electronic media.

The investigator will conduct a survey study on “Impact of New Media On Academic Progress And Mental Health In Adolescent Students of Kerala State”. Identification of the mental health issues experienced by teenage people who utilize new media requires urgently required research in this field

Research Design

The goal of the current research is to investigate how the usage of new media affects teenage academic achievement and mental health. The researcher will decide on the "Survey" approach for analyzing the issue in light of the study's goals and issues.

Data collection

The sample will be chosen by the investigator using the Simple Random Sampling Technique. In the Thrissur district of Kerala, the investigator will choose 44 upper secondary schools at random. Boys and girls in the 11th grade, representing the whole student body, will be selected from each school. All adolescent pupils enrolled in upper secondary schools in Kerala‘s Thrissur district that are self-financing and government-run will make up the study's population. The number of adolescents enrolled in the 11th standard for the school year 2020–2021 is 22,822. The distribution of samples will be based on factors including sex, student location, school type, parent employment, parent education level, and family type. There will be 1590 students in the sample. 

Statistical Techniques Used

The researcher has used the following statistical methods for the current investigation.

1. Arithmetic Mean

The arithmetic average is a typical definition of the distribution's mean. It is arguably the most well-known, commonly utilized, and comprehended average. Mean is the most basic yet effective way to assess central tendency.

2.  ‘t’ test:

The means of any two groups on any of the variables are compared using the "t" test, often known as the test of significance of the difference between means for large independent samples (Garrett, 1969). According to the degrees of freedom, if the "t" value is below a cutoff threshold, the difference in means is deemed to be insignificant, and the null hypothesis is accepted.

3.  Standard Deviation

Variance is the sum of the squared deviations of the measurements or scores.

4.  Pearson Product Moment Correlation

Coefficient of correlation When assessing the strength of a relationship between several variables taken in pairs or across all groups, the term "r" is utilized.

5. Regression Analysis

To determine the predictive power of independent factors on the dependent variable, regression analysis was utilized.

Using information collected from 1,590 high school students attending 44 different schools in the Thrissur district of Kerala, the purpose of this research was to establish the extent to which the engagement of young people with various forms of media has an impact on their overall well-being.

1. Descriptive Statistics

Calculating the mathematical mean allowed for an investigation into the impacts of the average amount of time spent engaging with electronic media on well-being as well as the quantity of time spent online. Individuals engaged with electronic media for an average of 4.2 hours, with a standard deviation of 1.5 hours. One hundred and fifty percent of the individuals who took part in the research project spent more than three hours each day engaging with various forms of electronic media.Social networking, playing electronic games, and utilising streaming services are all examples of activities that fall under this category. Both the average findings for health-related problems and the degrees of satisfaction were taken into consideration by us. On the one hand, the average score for health issues was 7.5 ± 3.1, which indicates that the respondents had moderate anxieties. On the other hand, the average score for happiness levels was 5.9 ± 2.4, which indicates that a significant number of adolescents reported having moderate to low levels of emotional satisfaction.

Table 1: Average and Standard Deviation of E-Media Use, Health, and Happiness

2. Comparative Analysis using 't' Test

Students who used electronic media for less than three hours per day and students who used it for more than three hours per day were subjected to a t-test in order to determine the degrees of satisfaction and health concerns that they experienced. Based on the results, it was observed that the health-related challenges experienced by students were significantly higher (t = 4.25, p < 0.05), and their levels of satisfaction were considerably lower (t = 5.01, p < 0.01). We discover that the two groups are considerably different when we compare their levels of happiness and health, which rejects the null hypothesis and demonstrates that the null hypothesis is incorrect.

Table 2: Comparing Low and High Electronic Media Users' Health and Happiness

3. Correlation and Regression Analysis

The use of Pearson's Product Moment connection led to the identification of a noteworthy negative correlation (r = -0.68, p < 0.01) between the intake of electronic media and the degrees of happiness experienced by individuals.  On the contrary, it was shown that there exists a significant positive correlation (r = 0.62, p < 0.01) between the utilisation of media and the occurrence of health problems.   In addition, the findings of the regression analysis indicated that the utilisation of electronic media was a significant predictor of both health issues (β = 0.61, p < 0.01) and happiness (β = -0.58, p < 0.01), therefore accounting for 52% of the difference in these two parameters.

Table 3: Regression and Pearson Correlation

The findings of this research indicate that there is a substantial correlation between both the physical and mental health of adolescents, as well as their levels of happiness, and the amount of time they spend in front of electronic gadgets. According to the findings of the survey, which are in line with global trends, a significant number of adolescents are spending more time than is considered to be healthy consuming electronic media. According to the findings of the study, the prevalence of health problems among adolescents who engage in prolonged use of electronic media, including mental diseases, stress, and anomalies in behaviour, is on the rise. The characteristics of aggression, impatience, and poor sleep patterns were among the psychological and social issues that were brought up the most often. Our results, which are in line with those of previous studies, indicate that the use of electronic screens has a negative impact on the mental health of young people.

A further finding of the study was that individuals' levels of happiness decreased in proportion to the amount of time they spent engaging with various forms of electronic media. The amount of time that adolescents spend engaging in activities such as social networking, online gaming, and video watching was shown to have a negative link with the degrees of enjoyment and life satisfaction that they experience. It is possible that this is due to the fact that individuals are not receiving the necessary amount of time for personal growth, physical activity, and socialisation with actual people, all of which are essential components of a healthy lifestyle.

According to the findings of a regression study, frequent use of electronic media is linked to an increased risk of mental health issues as well as a decrease in levels of happiness. This demonstrates the importance of encouraging and controlling the amount of time spent in front of electronic screens. There was a substantial relationship between the degree of usage of electronic media and its affects, as well as the features of the family, such as the kind of school attended, the level of education of the parents, and the general atmosphere of the family. The findings of this study underscore the significance of schools, parents, and politicians working together to educate the general public about the dangers that are connected with the use of media by young people and to promote good media habits that are beneficial to the mental, emotional, and social mental health of teenagers.

The findings of this study highlight the significant impact that electronic media has on the happiness and feeling of well-being among adolescents. The findings indicate that there is a strong connection between excessive use of electronic media and a variety of issues pertaining to both physical and mental health, such as anxiety, depression, and behavioural problems. In addition, there was a significant negative association between the amount of time spent in front of screens and the amount of happiness that was reported. This may suggest that adolescents who spend an excessive amount of time in front of screens had lower levels of well-being and life satisfaction. Considering these data, it is clear that there is a need for initiatives that promote appropriate and moderate media use. It is necessary for schools, parents, and politicians to work together in order to successfully promote public awareness and establish guidelines for the right use of media. In this increasingly digital world, we can safeguard the health and happiness of young people by encouraging them to use electronic media in a controlled manner.