The Impact of Social Media Usage on Anxiety and Self-Esteem Among Gen Z Students

Abstract

Generation Z, in its broad definition of people born between 1997 and 2012, is the first to have lived their entire lives in the digital and social media age. The study used a qualitative and descriptive approach to examine the effects of the use of social media on a student's self-esteem and anxiety in Gen Z. This study examines recurrent topics from peer-reviewed journal articles, published research studies, psychological reports, and educational literature pertaining to the exposure to, anxiety about, body image issues with, peer comparisons of, and self-perception of, social media use among student populations. The literature shows five main themes: intensity of social media use and anxiety symptoms; social comparison and low self-esteem; idealized social media content and body image dissatisfaction; psychological effects of cyberbullying and online social exclusion; and digital literacy and mindful social media use as protective factors. The analysis shows that although there are very real possibilities for social connection and expression of identity through social media, passive and excessive use of social media is always linked to increased anxiety and lower self-esteem. Conclusions and recommendations for mental health intervention, digital literacy education, and future research are presented.

 Keywords: Gen Z, social media, anxiety, self-esteem, mental health, social comparison, body image, digital literacy, qualitative research.