DETERMINANTS AND IMPACT OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE USE ON UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' MENTAL HEALTH

The study explored the social networking effects on students’ mental health. The study mainly focused on how social networks affect a student’s daily routine and the diversity of students in the Salem district. We conducted the study among 300 respondents using the systematic sampling method. We used a semi-structured interview schedule to collect the required data. The study found nearly one third of the students were female, and almost half the proportion of the students used social networks. There is a close association between gender and the duration of using social networks for 3–6 hours a day. More than one third of the students agree that social networking affects their lives and leads to depression; there is an association between duration of using social networks and mental health. The study concludes that age, gender, and duration of using social networks are the determining factors of students’ mental health.