1. Created by Ryan Smith, MSW PPS
A CORRELATIONAL STUDY: THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONAL ONLINE COMMUNICATION ON ADOLESCENTS’ SELF-DISCLOSURE
Created by
Ryan Smith, MSW PPS

2. Presenter Bio Education Career
Recent Master’s of Social Work graduate from California State University, Fresno
Attained Personnel Pupil Services Credential
Currently finishing School Counseling specialization
Next goal: Administrative Credential
Career
Over twenty years of collective social
work experiences
Poland, Ukraine, and Wales
Intensive case management, program development, and management over the Transitional Age Youth within the SMI population

3. Research Question
Does the use of personal online communication influence the level of self-disclosure in adolescents?

4. Hypothesis
The perceived low-risk nature of self- disclosure on social media will correlate with a higher than expected level of self-disclosure by adolescents during their social media usage.
Independent variable - self-disclosure
Dependent variable - personal online communication.

5. Introduction
The advent of the Internet has transformed our cultural lexicon, changing the way we work, the way we connect, and the way we communicate. The cultural impact of the Internet is still not entirely known or fully understood, in particular, its impact on frequent users, the adolescent youth.

6. Defining Social Media
Social Networking Sites “are online services, platforms, or websites that enable the construction and reflection of social networks or social relations among individuals” (Huang, 2016, p. 122)
Social media has introduced a new element called virtual space, where the adolescent’s skills in relating with others have been significantly altered.

7. Defining Self-Disclosure
Self-disclosure – personal information disclosed to another person
(Huang, 2016)

8. Research Focus
This research looks at the role of self-disclosure as adolescents shape their personal identity while occupying virtual space.
Research is conducted by a random sampling of adolescents responding to a research tool looking at five components of self-disclosure: (a) amount, (b) depth, (c) honesty, (d) intent, and (e) valence (Huang, 2016).

9. Guiding Theoretical Frameworks
Erickson’s Theory of Psychosocial Development – 8 developmental stages where response to crisis creates a negative or positive developmental impact
Social Cognitive Theory – a child learns new behaviors by observation of others and those behaviors are reinforced or punished
Social Penetration Theory – relationships develop intimacy in a 4 stage process

10. Demographics - Ethnicity

11. Demographics - Age

12. Research Findings
All five factors of self-disclosure (amount, depth, honesty, intention, and valence) were correlated with overall amount of self-disclosure to defend the prime research question. This research showed a statistically significant relationship between amount of social media usage and amount of self-disclosure r(36) = .69, p < .01 (see Figure 6).
The more an adolescent uses social media, the more information was disclosed

13. Research Findings Cont.
The research findings proved the original hypothesis to be correct: the low- risk nature of self-disclosure found through social media found a higher than expected level of self-disclosure by the study’s subjects. Moreover, increased usage of social media corresponded to the increased level of self-disclosure.

14. What You Need To Know
The usage of social media has permeated every age group and culture worldwide
The impact of this form of communication has numerous implications on society
Cyber bullying
Cyber victimization
Exposure to violent acts
Unfiltered access to various events
Addiction to technology

15. Implications for Child Welfare
Informs those working with children of the challenges of using social media
Serves as a starting point to develop training that will assist child welfare
Shows the importance and compelling need for child welfare workers to understand the dynamics/usage of social media
Shows the need for further research in this area

16. Summary
Adolescents are forming their identity in nontraditional ways through the use of personal online communications.
As this new phenomena has not been fully investigated, understanding this identity forming behavior within a unique space can be highly relevant to those working in multiple areas of social services

17. References
Huang, H. (2016, December 14). Examining the beneficial effects of individual’s self-disclosure on the social networking site. Computers in Human Behavior, 57,