Social Media Usage Among High School Students and it’s Perceived Impact on Their Socio-Emotional Interaction With Parents: The Case of Misrak Gohe High School, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Date
2026-06-01
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This study examined the influence of social media usage on the socio-emotional interaction between high school students and their parents at Misrak Gohe High School in Addis Ababa, an urban public secondary school in Ethiopia where parental digital literacy gaps and growing screen-time displacement of family interaction have been increasingly observed. Despite a growing global evidence base, local empirical research on this topic within specific Ethiopian school communities remains limited. The study aimed to identify the social media platforms most frequently used by students, measure the frequency and intensity of usage, examine the influence of social media use on parent–child socio-emotional connection, and determine whether different platform types exert varying effects on family interaction. Grounded in Ecological Systems Theory, Technology Subsystem Theory, and Family Systems Theory, the study situated digital behavior within the broader relational and cultural context of Ethiopian family life. A mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 242 students (grades 9–12) through stratified random sampling using a structured questionnaire; qualitative data were gathered from students, parents, and teachers via interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. Pearson correlation examined associations between continuous intensity variables and socio-emotional indicators, while Chi-square tests assessed associations involving the nominal variable of platform type, each technique chosen to match the measurement level of the respective variables.Telegram and YouTube were used by all students (100%), followed by TikTok (96.3%) and Instagram (78.5%); Facebook had low engagement (28.5%). Most students spend 1-4 hours daily online, with 81.4% logging in multiple times per day. Greater usage intensity was significantly associated with lower communication openness and emotional closeness, and higher conflict. Platform type did not significantly influence most socio-emotional indicators, though significant associations emerged for parental monitoring (χ² = 15.65, p = .016) and comfort with parental comments online (χ² = 14.94, p = .021). Qualitative findings corroborated these results: students reported talking less at home, parents felt ignored during family time, and teachers noted late-night use disrupting sleep and classroom readiness. The findings confirm that usage intensity, rather than platform choice, more strongly shapes parent–child socio-emotional dynamics. The study recommends school-level screen-time policies, parental digital literacy programs, and community-based family communication strategies suited to the Ethiopian urban context.
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Social media, socio-emotional interaction, parent-child communication, attachment, parental monitoring, usage intensity