Determining Role of Media Literacy and Positive Youth Development Components in Youth’s Social Skills and Academic Adjustment in Bandar Abbas

Objective: Since youth should have a chance to interact with society and adapt to roles during adolescence, the media and positive development provide them with this opportunity. This study aims to determine the role of media literacy and positive youth development (PYD) components in social skills and academic adjustment. Methods: This descriptive study is conducted using multivariate correlation method. The statistical population includes high school students in Bandar Abbas. In total, 373 students (50.06% females and 49.04% males) are selected using random cluster sampling method in 2019-2020 academic year. The participants respond to Falsafi’s media literacy questionnaire (2014), Arnold, Nott and Meinhold’s positive youth development inventory (2012), Inderbitzen and Foster’s teenage inventory of social skills (1992) and Baker and Siryk’s academic adjustment questionnaire (1984). The data are analyzed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient and multiple regression. Results: The results indicate media literacy components (understanding content, awareness of hidden goals, conscious selection, critical thinking and analyzing) and PYD (competence, confidence, connection, character, caring and contribution) are positively and significantly correlated with social skills and academic adjustment (P<0.01). Among the media literacy components, critical thinking plays the most important role in predicting social skills and academic adjustment. Among PYD components, contribution and competence play the major role in predicting social skills and academic adjustment, respectively. Conclusions: Therefore, media literacy and PYD could provide the ground for students’ social skills and academic adjustment.