Adolescents’ Behaviours and Social Media Issues: Counselling for Effective Social Media Culture

Abstract

The growing concern on undesirable behaviours and social misconducts among adolescents has 
been observed to be as a result of many factors, including social media influence. This study 
examined some of these undesirable behaviours, the overall consequences on the adolescent’s 
psychosocial well-being and how social media platforms can be used as a counselling tool for 
behaviour modification. Social media, in this study, are internet-based social websites or social 
network sites on handles, including Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, that serve 
as instruments for communication and social interactions among individuals, group and corporate 
bodies. Effects of the use and misuse of online social activities comprised the propagation of 
indecent dressing, premarital sex, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and untimely death. In order to 
lessen the adverse consequences of this social challenge on adolescents. The study exemplifies the 
advantages of adopting the various social media handles by experts in counselling psychology to 
connect with adolescents from various spheres of life as behavioural change agents to improve on 
how adolescents can enhance the quality of life and use the different social media platforms for 
worthwhile social engagement, educational learning, chance for individualized knowledge and 
skills acquisition. The study recommended, among others, that stakeholders and significant others 
mentoring adolescents should make conscious commitment to nurture and mentor adolescents in 
the appropriate social media culture. Furthermore, psycho-educational programmes on social media 
culture and positive use should be incorporated into the curriculum from basic education to tertiary 
institutions of learning.