Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2025

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education and School of Criminal Justice

Advisor

Sandra Duncan

Committee Member

Marcia O’Neil

Committee Member

Kimberly Durham

Keywords

Keywords: social media, self confidence, social behavior, peer acceptance, peer influence

Abstract

This qualitative study investigated the widespread influence of social media on the selfidentity of adolescents aged 13 to 18, focusing on a diverse suburban community in the southeastern United States. The research addressed a crucial gap in understanding how digital platforms shape adolescents’ self-perception, confidence, and identity development in a digital era where social media is central to daily interactions.

The study examined how social media platforms influenced adolescents’ self-concept and identity formation. The problem statement highlighted the distortion of self-identity due to social media’s tendency to promote curated online personas, leading to issues such as unrealistic beauty standards, harmful peer comparisons, and a reliance on external validation, which adversely affects adolescents’ mental health and self-esteem. The study offered significant insights into these dynamics, providing evidence-based strategies to aid adolescents in managing these influences.

Through comprehensive interviews and a phenomenological research approach, the study revealed that social media significantly impacted self-perception by fostering cycles of comparison and validation. It underscored the need for support from parents, educators, and mental health professionals to mitigate negative effects and promote healthier engagement with digital media.

The findings indicated that social media promoted curated self-presentation, fostered comparison and self-esteem challenges, provided a platform for self-expression and identity exploration, and caused anxiety, pressure, and confusion about self. Parental guidance and family dynamics played a critical role in how adolescents managed these influences (Davis & Hart, 2023). Findings highlighted the need for tailored support services to address mental health challenges and promote positive self-esteem among adolescents. The research also informed practical strategies for nurturing healthy identity development at home and paved the way for future studies and interventions in this critical area (Breen, 2020).

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