The Effect of Social Media on High-School Student’s Behavioral Change: A Case Study of Bikolos Nur Academy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022

Abstract Background: Social media has positive, beneficial consequences for its users. But it also has unfavorable impacts, particularly on the youth population of high school pupils. The aim of the study is to assess the effects of social media on high-school students’ behavioral change at Bikolos Nur Academy, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2022. Methodology:A Survey (Cross-sectional) study design was conducted. Primary data was collected from a sample size of 104 high school students using a self administered questionnaire. Participants were recruited using simple random sampling method. The data was cleaned, entered and analyzed using SPSS version 26.0 statistical software and MS excel. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses including bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used for analysis. Level of significance was determined at 95% confidence and p-value<0.05. Result: All the participants were social media users with Male=46.2% and Female=53.8% of gender distribution. The most commonly used platform were Telegram(67.3%), Instagram(62.5%), Ticktock(56.7%) and YouTube(47.1%). Most students perceived that social media is essential for high-school students but 82.7% of them were using social media for reasons stated other than academic related. Use of social media (p=0.001, Exp(B)=0.507); time spent on social media(p=0.007, Exp(B)=0.094); the reason for social media usage(p=0.014, Exp(B)=0.205); and students perception for social media usages (p=0.021, Exp(0.531) were the significant factors identified. Conclusion and Recommendations: The major determinants for social media related high-school students behavioral change were use of social media, time spent on social media, the reason for social media usage and students perception for social media usages.Students are recommended to use social media only for rightly intended and academic related purposes.