A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON AGGRESSION AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF DIFFERENTLY-ABLED AND GENERAL ADOLESCENT STUDENTS

Abstract [English]

The objective of the present study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the impact of social media on the aggression and academic achievement of differently-abled and general adolescent students. In modern times, social media has become a significant part of adolescents' lives; consequently, studying its influence on their behavior and academic performance has become essential. The survey method was employed for this study. For the purpose of research, a total of 480 adolescent students—comprising 240 general students and 240 differently-abled students—were selected using a random sampling method from the districts of Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli, and Sawai Madhopur within the Bharatpur Division of Rajasthan state. For data collection, the Aggression Scale (R.L. Bhardwaj), the Social Media Scale (Dr. Subhash Sarkar and Prasenjit Das), and the marks obtained in annual examinations (for academic achievement) were utilized. The results of the study revealed that, among differently-abled students, social media was found to have no significant impact on either aggression or academic achievement; whereas, among general students, a significant positive correlation was observed between social media and aggression, and a significant negative correlation was observed between social media and academic achievement. Therefore, it can be concluded that the impact of social media manifests in distinct ways among general and differently-abled students. This study may prove beneficial for teachers, parents, and policymakers, enabling them to encourage the balanced and positive use of social media.