INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Social media has become an integral part of teenagers’ lives

globally, offering both opportunities and challenges that significantly

influence their daily experiences. Internationally, the role of social media in

shaping youth culture and identity is well-documented. For instance,

research in the United States and Europe has shown that teenagers use

social media to build and maintain social connections, express themselves

creatively, and access a wealth of information (Anderson & Jiang, 2018).

However, alongside these benefits, concerns have been raised about the

potential negative impacts, such as cyberbullying, addiction, and mental

health issues (Twenge & Campbell, 2019).

Nationally, in the context of the Philippines, social media usage

among teenagers is similarly pervasive. According to a study by the

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT, 2021),

a significant percentage of Filipino teenagers are active on various social

media platforms, using them for both educational and entertainment

purposes. However, the same study highlighted growing concerns about

the impact of excessive social media use on the mental health and

academic performance of teenagers (DICT, 2021).

Locally, in Kabacan, North Cotabato, the effects of social media on

teenagers have not been extensively studied. While social media is widely

used, there is limited research on how local cultural and social contexts

influence teenagers’ perceptions of social media. This presents a

significant gap in understanding the nuanced ways in which social media

affects teenagers in this particular area.

This study aims to address this research gap by exploring the

perceptions of teenagers at Kabacan Sandigan Colleges in Kabacan,

North Cotabato, regarding the positive and negative influences of social

media. By understanding how these teenagers navigate and manage their

social media usage, the research seeks to provide insights into how they

maintain a healthy balance, despite the inherent challenges.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to explore and understand the

perceptions of teenagers at Kabacan Sandigan Colleges in Kabacan,

North Cotabato, regarding the positive and negative influences of social

media on their daily lives. Specifically, the research aims to investigate

how these teenagers perceive the benefits and drawbacks of social

media, the challenges they face, and the strategies they employ to

maintain a healthy balance in their social media usage.

Research Questions

1. How do teenagers perceive the positive aspects of social media in

their daily lives?

2. What are teenagers' experiences with the negative impacts of

social media?

3. In what ways do teenagers navigate and manage their social media

usage to maintain a healthy balance?

Theoretical Lens

This study will be anchored to Uses and Gratifications Theory

(UGT), which is a well-established framework in media studies that

explores how individuals actively seek out media to satisfy specific needs

and desires. According to UGT, users of media—including social media—

are not passive consumers; rather, they are active participants who use

media to fulfill various psychological and social needs, such as the need

for information, social interaction, entertainment, and personal identity

(Katz et al., 1974).

In the context of this study, UGT will be used to examine how

teenagers in at Kabacan Sandigan Colleges, utilize social media to fulfill

these needs. It will help in understanding the positive aspects of social

media as perceived by the teenagers, such as how it enhances their social

connections or provides entertainment. Additionally, UGT will provide a

lens to explore the negative aspects of social media, particularly when the

gratification sought leads to unintended consequences like stress, anxiety,

or social isolation.
Limitation and Delimitation of the Study

This study will be limited to the teenagers studying at Kabacan

Sandigan Colleges. This study will be specifically focused on teenagers

aged 13 to 19 years old. This age range is chosen to capture the

experiences and perceptions of adolescents who are most likely to be

active on social media.

This study will be limited only to fifteen (15) available and willing

students who were enrolled in the school year 2024–2025. In addition, this

research is delimited to exploring the perceptions of teenagers rather than

measuring objective outcomes such as academic performance or mental

health metrics. The focus is on understanding how teenagers perceive the

positive and negative aspects of social media.

Significance of the Study

The results of this study may benefit the students, their parents,

teachers, community and future researchers.

For students, it may empower teenagers by giving them a voice in

the discourse on social media. By articulating their perceptions and

strategies for managing social media, this study helps them reflect on their

own practices and potentially adopt healthier online behaviors.

For parents, it may provide insights that can help parents and

guardians understand how their children perceive and interact with social

media. With this knowledge, they can better guide and support their

teenagers in navigating the challenges and benefits of social media,

fostering a healthier and more balanced online experience.

For teachers, it may inform educators and policymakers in

Kabacan, North Cotabato, about the specific ways of social media

influences local teenagers. By understanding both the positive and

negative effects, educational programs can be developed to promote

responsible social media use and mitigate potential harms, such as

cyberbullying or mental health issues.

For the community, it may help mental health professionals, social

workers, and community organizers use these findings to tailor

interventions that address the unique social and psychological needs of

teenagers in the context of social media usage.

For future researchers, this may serve as a contribution to the

academic discourse on social media’s impact on youth by providing

context-specific data from a rural area in the Philippines.

Operational Definition of Terms

To better understand the study, the following terms are

operationally defined.

Healthy Balance – refers to the strategies and practices teenagers use to

manage their time and engagement with social media in a way that

minimizes negative impacts and maximizes positive outcomes.

Negative Influences – refer to the detrimental effects of social media as

perceived by the teenagers.

Perception – refers to the way teenagers interpret and understand the

role and effects of social media in their lives.

Positive Influences – refer to the operationalized as the benefits that

teenagers perceive from their social media use, such as enhanced

social connections, access to information, educational

opportunities, entertainment, and self-expression.

Social Media – refers to online platforms and applications that enable

teenagers to create, share, and interact with content, as well as

communicate with others.

Social Media Usage – refers to the frequency, duration, and nature of

teenagers’ interactions with social media platforms.

Teenagers – refer to the individuals aged 13 to 19 years old residing in

Kabacan, North Cotabato. This age group is chosen because it

represents a critical developmental period where social media use

is prevalent.