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Name and degree, Second Reader

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the impact of social media on religious behavior of church-going teenagers at St. Louis, MO, USA. in order to equip parents, religious leaders, and teenagers themselves with strategies for navigating the digital world in a way that fosters both a strong faith and healthy online habits. At this stage in the research, social media will be generally defined as any digital or online platform that allows users to create and share content online. The theories guiding this study are social learning theory developed by should this be capitalized? Albert Bandura and Ecological Systems Theory, developed by a developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner to understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behaviorsTo understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behaviors, this paper has two guiding theories: ... . The study will use mixed method design where the researcher will collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. Surveys and focus groups will be conducted in church with volunteering teenagers.

Keywords: Digital, social media, religious behavior, teenagers.

Copyright © 2024. Arnita Norman. All rights reserved.

Liberty University has permission to reproduce and disseminate this document in any form by any means for purposes chosen by the University, including, without limitation, preservation or instruction.

Dedication

The dedication page is a page in which the candidate dedicates the manuscript.

flesh this out

Acknowledgments

The acknowledgments page provides the opportunity for the candidate to acknowledge individuals who influenced the writing and completion of the dissertation. flesh this out

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT See the template for APA formatting................................................................................................................................................ 3 should be roman number

Copyright ....................................................................................................................................................4

Dedication ....................................................................................................................................................5

Acknowledgments ........................................................................................................................................6

List of Tables................................................................................................................................................9

List of Figures.............................................................................................................................................10

List of Abbreviations..................................................................................................................................11

CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH CONCERN..........................................................................................12

Introduction ............................................................................................................................................12

Should be roman number

Background to the Problem ....................................................................................................................12

Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................................................19

Purpose Statement ..................................................................................................................................20

Research Questions.................................................................................................................................20

Research Assumptions............................................................................................................................21

Delimitations of the Research.................................................................................................................21

Definition of Terms ................................................................................................................................22

Significance of the Study........................................................................................................................22

Summary of the Design ..........................................................................................................................22

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW........................................................................................24

Overview ................................................................................................................................................24

Theological Framework for the Study....................................................................................................24

Theoretical Framework for the Study.....................................................................................................28

Related Literature ...................................................................................................................................38

Impact of social media on teenagers psychological well-being..........................................................38

Impact of social media on teenager’s social behavior ........................................................................40

Impact of social media on teenagers’ religious behavior....................................................................45

Rationale for Study and Gap in the Literature........................................................................................52

Profile of the Current Study....................................................................................................................53

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY........................................................................55

Research Design Synopsis......................................................................................................................55

The Problem ...........................................................................................................................................56

Purpose Statement ..................................................................................................................................57 Research Questions.................................................................................................................................57

Research Design and Methodology........................................................................................................58

Quantitative Research.............................................................................................................................58

Research Population ...........................................................................................................................58

Research Sample(s) and Sampling Technique(s)................................................................................58

Proposed Instrumentation...................................................................................................................59

Survey questionnaires development ...................................................................................................59

Validating the survey questionnaire ...................................................................................................60

Testing for Reliability.........................................................................................................................60

Limitations of Generalization.............................................................................................................61

Ethical Considerations........................................................................................................................61

Research Procedures...........................................................................................................................63

Data Analysis and Statistical Procedures............................................................................................64

Qualitative Research...............................................................................................................................64

Setting.................................................................................................................................................64

Participants .........................................................................................................................................65

Role of the Researcher........................................................................................................................65

Data Collection Methods and Instruments..........................................................................................66

Ethical considerations.........................................................................................................................66

Data Analysis......................................................................................................................................68

Analysis Methods ...............................................................................................................................68

Trustworthiness ..................................................................................................................................71

Credibility...........................................................................................................................................71

Dependability .....................................................................................................................................71

Confirmability ....................................................................................................................................72

Transferability ....................................................................................................................................72

Chapter Summary...................................................................................................................................72 REFERENCES .........................................................................................................................................74

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List of Tables

See the template for APA formatting. Also, add in the running head please

List of Figures

Figure 1: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner,1977).......................................29

Figure 2: Social Learning Theory (McLeod, 2011)....................................................................................36

List of Abbreviations Same as above... see template for formatting

EST: Ecological Systems Theory

NIV: New International Version

SLT: Social Learning Theory

CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH CONCERN Black font, not blue

Introduction

The world of social media is constantly evolving, with teenagers at the forefront, driving new trends and shaping how these platforms are used. Teenagers, particularly those aged between 13 to 19 years, are the most people who use social media. In the U.S, the largest percentage of social media users (93%) are teenagers (Dixon, 2024) Eliminate the sentence before this because that sentence is saying the same thing as this one (essentially). Research by the credible you don't have to say they're credible, that's assumed.

Phew Pew Research Center shows that 67% of U.S. teens between age 13 and 17 ever use TikTok, 62% use Instagram, 59% use Snap Chat, 32% use Facebook, 95% use YouTube while , whilesmaller shares use platforms like Reddit, X, Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). only one space after period is needed Katella (2024) emphasizes ages of 10 and 19 are a highly sensitive time for the brain, when identities and feelings of self-worth are formed. This implies that consistent usage of social media could lead to unique alterations in the growing brain, which could impact teen capabilities including impulse control, emotional regulation, and emotional learning and behavior (Katella, 2024). This study examines the dual nature of social media, exploring its impact on church-going teenagers' religious behavior.

Background to the Problem formatting

The journey from basic online communication tools to today's sophisticated networks has been remarkable. In the early 2000s, digital space began to shift dramatically. Myspace was the first social media platform to capture widespread attention, hitting a million active users by 2004

(Mandl, 2023). It offered a novel way to create profiles, connect with friends, and share content.

Although Myspace eventually faded, it set the stage for the following social media giants.

Facebook, launched in 2004, quickly became the leader of the pack. By 2019, Facebook boasted 2.4 billion users worldwide (Lee, 2021). This platform's success lay in its ability to adapt and expand continually, integrating features like news feeds, video sharing, and a marketplace. These innovations transformed Facebook from a simple networking site into a comprehensive social hub. YouTube, another major player, emerged in 2005. It revolutionized how we consume and share video content (Sharma & Sharma, 2021) With over 2.5 billion monthly visitors today, YouTube is the go-to platform for everything from music videos to educational tutorials. Its success underscored the importance of video content in the social media ecosystem.

Other platforms like LinkedIn (2003), Instagram (2010), and Snapchat (2011) have each carved out their niches. LinkedIn became the premier site for professional networking, while Instagram capitalized on the power of visual content. Snapchat introduced the idea of ephemeral content, with photos and videos that disappear after a short period, appealing particularly to younger audiences (McWhirter, 2024). In 2016, TikTok burst onto the scene, quickly becoming a favorite among teenagers and young adults. Known for its short, engaging videos, TikTok leveraged sophisticated algorithms to deliver highly personalized content (McWhirter, 2024). By mid-2018, it had already amassed half a billion users, showcasing the rapid pace at which new social media platforms could grow.

The evolution of social media has also been marked by the rise of messaging apps like WhatsApp and WeChat. While initially focused on text communication, these platforms have expanded to include voice and video calls, file sharing, and even payments (Zhang, 2023). They have become integral to daily communication for billions of people worldwide. The rapid growth of social media has not been uniformed across all platforms. Some, like Friendster and Hi5, enjoyed brief periods of popularity before fading into obscurity. Others, like Reddit and Tumblr, have maintained dedicated user bases by focusing on niche communities and specific types of content.

As social media platforms have evolved, so have their functionalities. Early platforms were primarily text-based, but integrating images and videos has become crucial. X, delete initially limited users to short text updates but soon allowed multimedia posts (McWhirter, 2024). This shift significantly increased user engagement and broadened the platform's appeal. Mobile technology has played a key role in propagating the use of social media. The launch of the iPhone in 2007 and subsequent smartphone innovations have made social media accessible anytime, anywhere. Mobile apps for platforms like Instagram and Snapchat were designed to be used on-the-go, further integrating social media into everyday life.

Prevalence of Social Media Use Among Teenagers

The prevalence of social media use among teenagers has surged dramatically over the past decade. According to a 2024 survey by Cason et al., a staggering 95% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 have used YouTube. This makes it the most popular platform among this age group. The same survey revealed that 67% of teens use TikTok, 62% are on Instagram, and 59% engage with Snapchat (Cason et al., 2024). These platforms have not only become popular but have also ingrained themselves into the daily routines of teenagers. Interestingly, Facebook, once a dominant force in social media, has seen its usage among teens plummet from 71% in 2014-15 to just 32% in 2022 (Cason et al., 2024). The research also points out that shows that Almost almost all teenagers in the U.S. use at least one social media platform, with daily usage ranging between 68 hours.

The demographics of social media use among teens are diverse. For instance, Black teens and teen girls are more likely to use TikTok. About 81% of Black teens reported using TikTok compared to 71% of Hispanic teens and 62% These two sentences should just be one sentence White teens (Cason et al., 2024). Similarly, 73% of teen girls use TikTok, compared to 60% of teen boys (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). This gender divide is also evident on Instagram and Snapchat, where 69% of girls use Instagram versus 55% of boys, and 64% of girls use Snapchat compared to 54% of boys (Cason et al., 2024). On the flip side, Vogels and Gelles-Watnick (2023) found that boys are more likely to use platforms like YouTube (97% of boys vs. 92% of girls), Twitch (26% of boys vs. 13% of girls), and Reddit (20% of boys vs. 8% of girls).

The frequency of social media use among teens is also noteworthy. Approximately 77% of teens use YouTube daily, with 19% reporting they are on the platform almost constantly. TikTok sees daily use by 58% of teens, and about 16% are almost constantly engaged with it (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). Instagram and Snapchat have similar daily engagement rates, with about half of teens using each platform daily (Cason et al., 2024). When asked about their ability to give up social media, many teens indicated it would be challenging. Around 54% said it would be hard for them to give up social media, with 58% of girls finding it difficult compared to 49% of boys. Older teens (ages 15 to 17) are more likely to express difficulty in giving up social media than younger teens (ages 13 to 14).

Teens’ perspectives on social media’s impact on their lives are quite telling. While 32% believe that social media has had a mostly positive effect on their own lives, only 24% think it has been beneficial for their peers (Cason et al., 2024). Conversely, 32% of teens feel that social media has mostly negatively impacted people their age, whereas only 9% feel the same about its impact on themselves (Vogels & Gelles-Watnick 2023). This suggests a critical view where teens recognize broader societal issues with social media but may not see themselves as being as affected. Interestingly, while many teens feel that social media can be overwhelming due to drama and peer pressure, they also acknowledge its positive aspects. According to Katella

(2024), a study by Phew research Pew Research shows that most teens (80%) report feeling more connected to their friends' lives, others (71%) report having a platform to express their creativity, a significant number (67%) report feeling supported through tough times and others (58%) report experiencing a sense of acceptance.

The Pervasive Influence of Social Media on Teenagers

The near-ubiquitous presence of smartphones has fundamentally reshaped the way teenagers interact with the world. A vast majority of teenagers possess smartphones, granting them constant access to a multitude of social media platforms. This constant connectivity has led to a paradigm shift, where social media has become a primary channel for communication, entertainment, and information consumption for young people (Allen et al., 2014). The pervasiveness of social media in teenagers' lives manifests in several keyways. The first is the frequency of use. Therefore, as highlighted by Office of the Surgeon General (2023), there are possible neurodevelopmental alterations related to social media and the use of specific mobile application/s that are linked to distinct changes in the amygdala which is significant in learning and emotional behaviors in addition to the prefrontal cortex that is important in moderating behaviors, regulating emotions, and controlling impulses, therefore increasing the sensitivity to social rewards and punishments. This is because the joys and otherwise that are typical to youth may put adolescents in a sensitive position in handling the communicative and interactive aspects of social media. check the spacing between paragraphs teacher comments

Reword this sentence teacher comment However, it worth to understand that adverse impact of social media for children and adolescents is multifaceted and depends on their capacity to adapt to media environment and staggered by social risks and beneficial factors related with cultural and historical developments and socio-economic conditions of their communities (Beyens et al., 2020). There is no doubt, Delete comma teenagers arrive at social media sites with a set of psychological characteristics. Teenagers with high self-esteem may not feel the impact of the negative aspects of New social media such as the maintenance of the thin image or the criticism that the New Media offer to the target audience, in contrast, low self-esteem teenagers may get influenced by such aspects Reword this for clarity, it's a little confusing teacher comments. On the other hand, teens with preexisting anxiety or social issues, the young people could become at risk of falling a prey to the dangers or pressures of online communication (Naslund et al., 2020). A teenager too delete is in a very vulnerable state psychologically if he/she using either he or she is fine is suffering from depression/ anxiety, use of social media would only worsen the situation for him/her in case he/she has to face cyber bullying or social comparison.

Teenagers around the globe are constantly involved in social media due to the changes in the social culture and the general societal norms. In some cultures, there may be a question of the availability of technological and social tools, and, therefore, the manner and frequency that teens use these tools (Manago & McKenzie, 2022). The five cultural dimensions as elaborated by Hofstede may suggest that some cultures provide a better online environment since people in some cultures place so much importance on collectivism, social order, and obedience that social media may act as a uniting force for the culture. It is believed that if the general culture of that particular people is promoting togetherness and kinship, this will post positive social relations in cyberspace, but if the culture expects people to be competitive and handsome, then one is likely to post poor experiences in cyberspace as well (Yang et al., 2023). As much as that, drawing on reinforcement theory, Yang et al. (2023) believed that the negative impact of social media may be further amplified by cultures that advocate for individualism and aesthetics. This is interesting and very important teacher comments

The young people of today’s society can be classified as the ‘digital natives’ – generation that has never known life devoid of computer and internet technology. This pushes the generational context such that it suggests they are more obtrusive in the digital environment in a way that shapes both identity and thinking of their social relations as compared to past generations (Naslund et al., 2020). Investigating the article titled “Adolescent development and growing divides in the digital age” Odgers and Jensen (2020), they opined In their article, "Adolescent...," Odgers and Jensen (2020) opine that that adolescents are devoting more time to devices than they devote their time to schools. For instance, American teens on average spend 6 hours and 18 minutes using media per day and this can be well utilized to create awareness. With things like TV, video games, social media, and streaming videos, children today spend an average of 5 hours daily on digital entertainment media not including time spent online doing schoolwork (Odgers & Jensen, 2020). The changing social media platforms make the next generation of teenagers encounter social media in ways that are different from their previous counterparts due to the ever-changing types of platforms and the everintroducing elements into the social media scene.

Therefore, youth from privileged background backgrounds may be able to access safer online environments and might have parents to guide them concerning social media convolutions (Wang & Xing, 2018). On the other hand, teenagers from a low-income group of families could potentially be in a less favorable position when using technology where they could be subjected to more negative encounters in cyberspace like bullying or exposure to improper content (Wang & Xing, 2018). Likewise, parental mediation and awareness influences teenagers’ usage of social networking sites and applications in a substantial manner. Parents with more income may offer more support in proactively teaching the kids how to use these social media platforms appropriately (Odgers & Jensen, 2020). Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) says “start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” The situation when teenagers are exposed to the social network usage might be considered rather problematic and thus parents, in general, might be better prepared to find the ways and means for proper teenage usage of Internet invented tools starting with proper technical provisions including Internet providing devices, starting with parents’ control of their children’s Internet usage, starting with special programs for that purpose or starting with special Internet safety workshops.

Statement of the Problem

Teenagers today are immersed in a digital world dominated by social media. Today, teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years are the biggest users of social media where are research by Phew Pew Research Center shows that 67% of U.S. use TikTok, 62% use Instagram, 59% use Snap Chat, 32% use Facebook, 95% use YouTube while a significant number use platform like Reddit, X, Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). Research shows that teen years are very critical because that is when young ones are growing intellectually, when identities and feelings of self-worth are formed (Katella, 2024). However, research shows that although these platforms offer opportunities for connection and information, they highly present challenges especially in teenagers teenagers' mental well-being and social behavior (Allen et al., 2014; Bohn, 2021; Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022; Katella, 2024; Cason et al., 2024).

There is lack of study on how social media affects teenager’s religious behavior. From a theological point of view, many religions view the world, including technology, as God's creation. The question then becomes how teenagers in today’s digitally invested space can use this creation responsibly and for good, avoiding its pitfalls. Spiritual growth and discipleship require intentional practices such as prayer, reading scripture, and participating in communal worship. Social media's pervasive presence can distract teenagers from Are there any positive aspects to social media in teenager's spiritual development? these spiritual disciplines, consuming time and attention that could be devoted to nurturing their faith. Theologically, this raises concerns about how digital engagement might hinder spiritual formation and the development of a robust and mature faith. This study will address this gap and build on the existing research on the impact of social media on teenagers' mental well-being and social behavior.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this phenomenological study is I like this statement... keep thinking it through! to examine the impact of social media on religious behavior of church-going teenagers at St. Louis, MO, USA. in order to equip parents, religious leaders, and teenagers themselves with strategies for navigating the digital world in a way that fosters both a strong faith and healthy online habits. At this stage in the research , social media will be generally defined as any digital or online platform that allows users to create and share content online. The theories guiding this study are social learning theory developed by Albert Bandura and Ecological Systems Theory, developed by a developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner to understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behaviors.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be addressed in the study:

RQ1: How does social media affect the religious behavior of church-going teenagers in St. Louis?

RQ2: How does social media affect church-going teenagers' engagement with religious practices, beliefs, and communities in St. Louis?

RQ3: What is the role of parents, educators and religious leaders in ensuring churchgoing teenagers consume the right content from social media?

Research Assumptions

This research will be built upon various assumptions. First, the researcher assumes that social media platforms significantly influence how teenagers behave religiously. The researcher considers social media as a key influential factor in determining the religious behavior, beliefs and practices of church-going teenagers. In addition, this researcher assumes that with the increased reliance on digital platforms for information, teenagers actively engage with religious content on social media. Therefore, the researcher assumes that church-going teenagers seek out, view, share, or interact with content that relates to their faith, whether through religious groups, pages, influencers, or peer interactions on social media. The researcher also assumes that parents, educators and religious leaders have a significant role in guiding teenagers' social media use and content consumption.

Delimitations of the Research

The research acknowledges certain delimitations to delineate the scope and focus of the study. First, the investigation primarily concentrates on teenagers aged 13 to 17, recognizing the distinct developmental stage of adolescence. Second, the study centers on a specific region, that is, St. Louis, MO, USA. Additionally, the research does not explore offline factors; instead, it primarily examines the online dimensions of teenagers' lives. Moreover, the cultural and regional scope is limited to a broad overview, recognizing that in-depth analyses of specific cultural nuances are beyond the scope of this study. Lastly, the research is delimited to examining the impact of social media on religious behavior of teenagers without examining the broader aspects of technology or internet usage.

Definition of Terms

Social media - These are Add to this .. what other terms need to be included? online platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp that allow users to create and share content and interact with others across the globe.

Teenager- For the context of this study, these are individuals aged between 13 -17 years. Religious behavior- These are the spiritual actions and practices that an individual depicts regarding their religious belief

Significance of the Study

This study is important in providing awareness of the interactions, connections, and relations between social media and religious behavior in teens. This research will fill a gap in literature through exploring how social media affects religious behaviors of church-going teenagers to uncover its effect on the faith their practices. The results will be useful for discussing the measures for rational organization of teenagers’ activity in the conditions of the information society for parents, leaders of religious organizations, and educators. The findings of this research will also be useful in understanding healthy and unsafe usage of the social media so as to stringer make guidelines and interventions to help the teenagers maneuver the evolving age of social media use.

Summary of the Design

The study will use mixed method design where the researcher will collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. This method was selected because it will allow the researcher to address the limitations of both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative data will be collected through survey questionnaires and use descriptive statistics to analyze the data. The survey design will include use of closed-ended questions to measure social media usage patterns, mental health effect social behavior, and religious behavior. A pilot test will be conducted to test on the survey on a small group of teenagers to ensure clarity and comprehensiveness. The surveys will be administered online, where the participants will be given a link to google forms Google Forms where they can easily fill out their answer anonymously. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the quantitative survey data using Excel software, and the results will be reported using frequencies, percentages, and averages.

On the other hand, the qualitative data will be obtained through focus group surveys and use thematic analysis technique to analyze the transcribed data. According to Stewart and Shamdasani (2014), a focus group can be defined broadly as “a type of group discussion about a topic under the guidance of a trained group moderator” (p. 687). The researcher will develop semi-structured guides with open-ended questions tailored to explore teenagers' experiences, thoughts, and feelings about social media and its impact on their lives, focusing on church youth groups. The discussions will be recorded with permission from participants for transcription in the later stage of analysis. The focus group sessions will take place over a period of three months. This timeline will allow for sufficient scheduling flexibility to accommodate the availability of the participants and to ensure thorough and thoughtful data collection. The extended duration will also provide the opportunity for ongoing reflection and analysis, enabling the researcher to refine questions and explore emerging themes in subsequent focus groups. The research will rely on qualitative data analysis software (NVivo) to organize, code, and analyze the data after it has been transcribed.

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

Overview

This chapter provides theological framework of the study as well as extensive review of existing literature related to the study topic. It starts with theological framework where biblical and theological view regarding technology, media, and youths are identified. This is followed by theoretical foundation underpinning the study. What follows is an evaluation of literature both current and literature that relates to the current research problem. Finally, the chapter shows the importance on the problem being studied by identifying a gap in the existing literature which the study will address.

Theological Framework for the Study

In conducting this study on how social media affects teenage church attendees’ religious practices, a biblical and theological lens will be instrumental in shaping the research at various points. The biblical and theological framework will be based on some scripture and theological concepts regarding identity, community, holiness, and wisdom. It will give a framework that will enable the examination of how social media influences the religious practice of teenage church attendants hence inform the way the analysis of the results as well as the application of the recommendations to church leaders, parents, and teachers.

This preliminary theological framework is based on creation mandate as described in Gen 1:28 (NIV) “be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”. As far as the current study is concerned, the calling given in Genesis 1: 28 can be taken in the sense of how these young people manage social media, seeing them as stewards of the social media space as well as the physical world. In this sense, Christian stewardship deals with appropriate utilization of online social platforms in manners that portray and support God’s plan that will not lead to creation of other improper conducts or materials. Teenagers can make use of this principle by making sure that they take time and ensure that they do the right thing when it comes to social media usage, content creation and interacting with people online.

The Bible emphasizes the importance of impacting the world for God’s glory. In Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV), the Bible says "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Consequently, in the context of this study teenagers are challenged to represent Christ as light of the world including the digital world of social media. This can include sharing good news, the truth and the love of Christ to peers and in the communities, they find themselves and thereby being a blessing. Colossians 3:17 (NIV) says: "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." This verse informs teenagers to act compliant to the word of God before they post anything or comment something in any social media platform. They must reflect the intention to live the faith and be faithful in how they manage the leadership position that comes with such control over the audience.

From a theological standpoint, the dual nature of social media presents both opportunities and challenges for teenagers' psychological health, and social and religious behavior, hence undermining their role as stewards. Social media has the potential to facilitate connections with friends, family, and religious communities as well as a sense of self-expression and belonging. On the other hand, overuse of social media can exacerbate mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In terms of religion, social media platforms can be a source of religious exploration and connection, but they can also obscure fundamental religious principles and divert attention from more conventional forms of worship. These results, along with a theological viewpoint, indicate that social media's dual nature must be handled with caution and judgment. The Bible places a strong emphasis on exercising good stewardship over one's possessions and behavior (Matthew 25:14-30). Teens should be urged to use caution while consuming and sharing content on social media, making sure that it is in line with their faith values. By fostering discernment, self-discipline, and a focus on genuine community and faith practices, parents, educators, and religious leaders can guide teenagers to navigate the digital landscape in a way that supports their overall well-being and spiritual growth. In doing so, teenagers can learn to use social media as a tool for good, reflecting their faith in all aspects of their lives, both online and offline.

Parents, religious leaders as well as educators spend a substantial amount of time with the youth either at home, church or at school. Just as humanity is called upon to discern between right and wrong, teenagers must be guided on how to responsibly navigate the complexities of social media. In this regard, they have a special role to play in promoting responsible digital citizenship and a healthy integration of social media within a strong foundation of faith. Ephesians 6:4 (NIV): "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." Ephesians 6:4 emphasizes the `need for "training and instruction," which can involve teaching teenagers critical thinking skills, online safety practices, and ethical considerations when using social media platforms. Teenagers must be guided on how to use social media for their own benefit and bypass all the negative impacts associated with the rise of social media used among this demographic. A recent Harvard study by Bekalu, McCloud and Viswanath (2020) concluded that routine use is not likely a problem in and of itself, and in fact can be beneficial, especially for young people. Bekalu, McCloud and Viswanath (2020) recommend that adults proactively help youngsters become “mindful users” of social media, and that behavioral interventions be used to develop effortful control skills such as self-regulation skills for those youngsters who have already developed an unhealthy relationship with social media.

Finally, perhaps the most significant assertion of biblical Christianity concerning the nature of the church stemmed from Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV): “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (NIV). Using social media platforms, people from different regions can be related within this church fraternity hence the social media both have positive and negative relationship with the feeling of belongingness. When it is well utilized, social media is a great source of encouragement and edification in the church whereby members can share teachings, words of encouragement and account for their spiritual, growth by admonishing fellow members within the Facebook groups. In Ephesians 4:15-16 (NIV), there is a call to love fellows and be speaking the truth in hope and grace, which is a good starting point for how the followers of Christ ought to engage on the social media platforms. It promotes the kind of social media that edifies the church body, so each believer can grow as a disciple.

1 Peter 5:8-9 warns Christians about guarding themselves against disconnection and isolation. It says: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings" (NIV). Even though social media brings people together, it has the potential of causing loneliness and seclusion in the society subject to the kind of usage it is put to. Social media addiction may minimize the chances of people developing close-talking relationships thus limiting face-to-face communication. 1 Peter 5:8-9 instructs Christians to be alert for the danger of falling into the social networking trap that leads to such sins as comparison, envy or mere contact hence reducing the cohesion of the fellowship. This kind of calls on the church to fully embrace social media while in a way building actual tangible off-line relations among people.

Theoretical Framework for the Study

This study is guided by two important theories, that is, the is Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Social Learning Theory. The theories will guide the study and help in analysis of the results.

Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory

The Ecological Systems Theory (EST) is attributed to the developmental psychologist named Urie Bronfenbrenner and was incepted in 1977. The theory provides a more comprehensive understanding of how for instance the ecological levels composed of family, church and social media interface in influencing teenagers’ religious actions. Thus, according to the Bronfenbrenner’s EST, an individual’s development depends on the systems of environments acting as a complex system of spaces invested in and surrounding the individual (Darling, 2007). As shown in Figure 1, these systems include the microsystem, mesosystem, ecosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem are some of those systems that are part of an ecological approach and are used to describe different levels of environments in relation to an individual’s development. The theory regards the development of the child as a system of relations affected by various aspects of the environment, the microsystem, mesosystem, ecosystem, and macrosystem at the higher level (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Guy-Evans, 2020). Most importantly, unlike in most models where these contexts are presented as different and separate, this model shows that the contexts are related and can indeed interconnect.

Figure 1: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner,1977)

According to Bronfenbrenner (1977), the child’s environment is a nested arrangement of structures which are contained within each other. He organized the structures in order of how much of an impact they have on a child as follows:

Microsystem: As shown in Figure 1, the microsystem is the innermost level of

Bronfenbrenner’s model and relates to the environments in which the person is directly involved including family, peers, school as well as church. These environments are the most decisive ones as they presuppose direct interactions that are both close and recurrent (Darling, 2007; GuyEvans, 2020). In the microsystem, parents play an important role, especially in childhood and early adolescence because they educate children on issues to do with digital media, risks, privacy, and overuse (Graber, 2019). Parents and friends/peers have similar effect on adolescents and as youth gain more autonomy, the effect of friends/peers increases (Sasson & Mesch, 2017). The influence of friends/peers happens via normative influence in which a person changes their behavior to match that of the group in a bid to be accepted by the other members (Schultz et al., 2008). Friends/peers model youth’s behavior and can predicate youth’s attitudes toward, and engagement with, cyberbullying (Sasson & Mesch, 2017). In regard to this study, the microsystem is very important because it is in this area that adolescents directly engage in religious factors such as parents’ instruction, peers and church activities. Direct religious teachings, religious practices modeling, and religious activities support are deliver from the microsystems, which are religious based. In these contexts, the nature and type of relations that the youth have may help in the socialization process of religious beliefs and practices.

Mesosystem: According to Guy-Evans (2020) the mesosystem is defined as the interaction between the different microsystems. For instance, the connections between the teenager’s family and the church they attend, or the relations between the school the teenager attends and the peer groups he or she belongs to, form the mesosystem. Such interactions can complement or mediate the effects within an individual’s microsystems. For instance, if religious messages from teenagers’ families as well as their church are consistent and compatible, their performance of religious activities is likely to be high. On the other hand, if there are interactions, it may lead to conflict of one microsystem with the other, this may lead to confusion or ambivalence in religious commitment among the teenagers. In the study by Sasoon and Mesch (2017) it is argued that the influence of parents and teachers is higher when youth is younger, as the youth becomes older and more independent the importance of peers rises.

Exosystemic: The ecosystem consists of the conditions that impact the individual without having direct contact with him or her. These are conditions that the teenager does not have direct contact with, but which impact them in one way or the other (Guy-Evans, 2020). For example, the organizational, school and mass media, and community policies and practices regarding the parents’ workplaces are an element of this system. Social media functions mostly as an element of the ecosystem; however, it has a strong indirect impact on religious behavior of teenagers. Even though teenager users do not engage with the content creators or religious influencers they follow directly, they are still influenced by the content that is available and thus their perception of religion or their religious practices and even their belonging to a certain church might be affected. Third, it is also necessary to mention the regulation provided by the representatives of social networks, as the promotion or restriction of certain topics can also create an impact on the religious content accessible to teenagers.

Macrosystem: This system embraces all the other systems and is defined by the societal and culture of the given community (Guy-Evans, 2020). These include cultural beliefs, social expectations, and legal systems. The macrosystem defines the context and exerts an indirect impact on all the other systems. For example, teenagers’ perceptions of religion and the internet, culture and expectations for using social media are some of the macrosystem factors that determine how the youth interact with social media platforms and how these influence them.

Chronosystem: The chronosystem is the outermost layer of the child’s development and praxis and is constituted by the dimension of time or how time influences change, in the life of the individual, and in history and culture. Chronicity also combines with changes in social demands across the life trajectory within the chronosystem (Guy-Evans, 2020). The presentation of children in expected and unexpected transitions in their lives is centered on the support they receive from their ecological systems. For this work, it might encompass such things as status and frequency of social network use in the past ten years, shift and trends in religious activities, or developmental status in the teenager’s life like transition from junior to senior high school. Thus, Lewis (2013) has stipulated that as social media has becoming increasingly more common and used in everyday practices, the manner of how it affects religious practices has changed. Regarding the influence of life changes on the related activities, it is also important to state the impact of the age progression, which means that, transforming from childhood to adolescence, a teenager is likely to face new opportunities and challenges connected with religion and social media practices.

Ecological Systems Theory in one or multifaceted ways has been applied in various fields; nonetheless, it is typically employed in health and psychology particularly in the development of children (Esolage, 2014; Vandaveer & Kavanagh, 2016; Matinello, 2020). For example, Walker et al. (2019) applied an Ecological Systems Theory approach to analyses the risk factors involving overweight and obesity among disabled children. The research centered on the several strata or tiers in an ecological system or environment that might be detrimental to children with special needs in weight and obesity. They identified that microsystems for instance school, family home, and activities also have health effects from physical activities as well as selective food consumption. Also, the second layer, desolators (for example, family relationships, parents’ working hours) can result in child weight gain because of the absence of money for healthy nutrition. Furthermore, it is suggested that children stressed due to social isolation and exclusion are socially left out and their parents may punish or console them with food. The third layer the study adopted was the macrosystem. For instance, some cultures just discriminate against children with disabilities so obtaining health care is even more challenging for such children (Matinello, 2020).

In the field of language teaching, Mohammedabad et al. (2019) examined facilitators of language teaching cognition. Thus, to guide their research concerning the factors that affect L teachers at various levels, the authors employed an ecological model. The authors used four systems from the theory of Bronfenbrenner for the analysis of the issue. This research ascertained that ecological systems impact on language teaching. For example, the microsystem involved direct effects on teachers’ environment including facilities, emotional situation, job satisfaction, language proficiency among others. According to the mesosystem defined interconnections between teachers’ collaboration and their prior learning experience

(Mohammadabadi et al., 2019). Microsystem entailed the teaching program and curriculum and teacher performance standards; ecosystem involved the teaching program and curriculum as well as the teachers’ performance benchmarks; macrosystem embraced the government requirements and practices, and beliefs such as religious. In other words, research employ Ecological Systems Theory to understand the study’s structure that other serves as a framework for data analysis.

In summary, Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory can be quite helpful in explaining all the multiple layers that encompass the effects that shape the spiritual practices of church attending teenagers in the age of new media technology. Family to Bronfenbrenner is unstable and unpredictable for children and they do not have a constant mutual interaction with meaningful adults which are so crucial for development (Ryan, 2001). One advantage of the theory is that an attempt is made to look not only at the effects on teenagers, but also at the indirect and structural forces that shape the process of their religious development. Ecological theory holds that when the relationships of the immediate microsystem fail, the child is left without the means for searching other aspects of his environment (Guy-Evans, 2020). Children seeking the assertions that ought to be in the child / parent (or child / other caregiver) relationships search for attention in wrong places (Ryan 2001). These deficiencies are evident particularly in adolescence in the form of anti-social behavior, laxity on aspects of selfdiscipline, and failure to offer self-impetus (Addison, 1992).

Social Learning Theory

According to the social learning theory (SLT) by Albert Bandura (1969) the focus is on observation of behaviors, attitudes and feelings of others and imitation. This theory can be seen as an intermediate between behaviorist theories, where a special role belongs to reinforcement considered as a basic form of learning, and cognitive theories that highlight the individual internal processes (McLeod, 2011). Bandura introduced social learning theory in order to explain how people can learn new behaviors or patterns of behaviors that they do not experience but come across through observation of other individuals. This learning takes place in sociocultural contexts, with the assistance of the media – including social networks. In the perspective of the current research, SLT is used to understand how religious behaviors and attitudes of teenagers are learned through the content consumed on social media. It also reveals what an affirmative or negative impact the social media use may have on their religious conduct depending on whether the content or the behavior observed therein is positive or negative.

Observational learning is the main component of social learning theory (Rumjaun & Narod, 2020). It assumes that individuals can learn new behaviors by just watching others. This process is usually known as modeling whereby the individual copies what they see from their model (McLeod, 2011). People that are observed are referred to as models. In society, children have many modelling agents, which may include the parents they meet in the family unit, characters on children’s television programs, peers at school and in neighborhoods, and teachers at school. These are factual models of behavior to observe and emulate, e. g., the masculine and the feminine, the ‘pro social’ and the ‘anti-social’ etc. Children listen to some of these people and encode their behavior. In another instance, they may replicate, that is, emulate the behaviors that they comprehend (Bandura, 1969). They may do this regardless of whether the behaviors is ‘gender appropriate’ or not, but there are several processes that will increase the likelihood of the child replicating the behaviors of the society that is deemed appropriate for the child’s gender (Abdullah & Ahmed, 2022). It is evident today that social media has made modeling of behavior so effective. In the back are accounts of how religion can be enacted in the everyday, through prayer, Bible reading, and access of Internet forums on religion. Teenagers get influenced on what they need to believe as religious and how they can portray it through the content they gorge themselves on through social networks.

There are four stages of observational learning which includes attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2: Social Learning Theory (McLeod, 2011)

Attention: A prerequisite to observational learning is the attention that the individual must devote to the model. The level of attention is determined by several features of the model, for example its attractiveness, competence or similarity to the observer (McLeod, 2011). These attentional processes are critical because merely observing a model does not guarantee that observers shall devote their attention to the model and the behavior being modeled. First, the model must engage the observer’s attention; second, the observer has to judge the model’s actions as suitable for emulation. This decides whether the action will be emulated. The specific behavior must be observed by the individual and the behavioral consequences must give rise to the creation of a psychological concept of the behavior. In other words, for a behavior to be imitated, it has to detain our conscious attention.

Retention: In the end, the information retrieved during the behavior should be stored in memory. This means that the behavior is transformed into some form in the mind that can be retrieved later (Rumjaun & Narod, 2020). Bandura also pointed out the retention process in imitation, where the imitated behavior of a model is encoded symbolically. Such an inactive process entails that these behaviors be stored symbolically, and that observers organize them coactively into readily retained prototypes (Bandura, 1969). It may be observed but only registered consciously which of course hinders emulation despite minimization of behavioral distinctiveness. It is crucial, however, that a memory of the behavior undergoes encoding for later performance by the observer (McLeod, 2011). Since much of social learning is not immediate, this process is particularly important in such situations. If the behavior is imitative, it will be reproduced over and again once one has witnessed the act, there must be memory reference to this act (Bandura, 1969).

Reproduction: This is the capacity to reproduce the behavior that was displayed by the model. The individual needs to be physically and mentally able to mimic the behavior that is being observed (Firmansyah & Saepuloh, 2022). This is the final stage where the mental representation is put into practice, this is where actual behavior is observed. Every day, there is much behavior that we wish we could replicate; however, this is not always feasible (McLeod, 2011). This self-generated verbal mediation is still constrained by our physical capability; sometimes, we are unable to display the wanted behavior even if, in our minds, we can (Bandura, 1969). The above affects our decision or whether to attempt to emulate it or not. Teenagers follow relatives, friends or classmates, celebrities, clerics and other social media influencers. They watch how these subjects perform as functionaries of their faith, practice their religion and relate to other members of their faith. In this way, teenagers become exposed to such behavior, and, through imitation, learn certain religious practices, discuss religion, or even doubt it.

Motivation: In the last step, the behavior must be motivated by the individual or the circumstances prevailing at a given time. Reinforcement and motivational processes entail the perceived stimulus that is either positively valence or negatively valence that is likely to improve or reduce the chances of identifying with the model. To this, motivation depends with the expected reinforcing stimuli; observing the consequences for the model or individual and personal reinforcer. This will lead to perform the behavior. The observer shall therefore contemplate the consequences which follow a certain type of behavior (McLeod, 2011). If the perceived rewards are greater than, equal to, or greater than the perceived costs (if any), then the observer is more likely to model the behavior. If the vicarious reinforcement is not significant to the observer, then the observer will not emulate the behavior (Abdullah & Ahmed 2022). In fact, behaviors that are exhibited on social media platforms are encouraged through likes, comments, shares, and followers.

Related Literature

Impact of social media on teenagers’ psychological well-being

An important topic is the potential adverse effects of social media on mental health. Based on a survey of 12–15-year-old Americans that comprehensively evaluated, when adolescents spent more than 3 hours on social media, the probability of negative mental health consequences, such as depression and anxiety, is many times higher (Katella, 2024). A highly important factor to consider is the daily dosing of carefully crafted and tailored glimpses of other people’s lives, seen through Instagram and similar. It can result in low self-esteem because teenagers may weigh themselves in comparison to images and life issues posted online which may crawl into perfectionism (Smith, Leonis, & Anandavalli, 2021). They will be under pressure to fit the above culture norms of beauty, gain unquestionable attention, and be affirmed through likes.

Social media algorithms are built to promote whatever you seem interested in. These algorithms operate by analyzing a multitude of user data points, including past interactions, likes, shares, comments, and search history (Brady, 2023). It is through this analysis that the algorithm builds a comprehensive profile of a user's interests and proclivities. This user profile then dictates the content that is displayed in their feed, prioritizing posts and information that aligns with the established interests (Smith, Leonis, & Anandavalli, 2021). In other words, on the one hand, the algorithm focuses on such content that has better chances of being viewed by the audience while on the other, such content that may not be engaging enough is pushed to the background (Brady, 2023). Although maintaining such users’ engagement is perfectly beneficial, it can result in the creation of an echo chamber, which is a context or perception that a person only gets exposed to information or opinions that are consistent with their own biases (BBC, 2024). If a teen search for any kind of mental health condition, for instance, depression or suicide, then the algorithm will direct them to read about such things, and so soon, they will start perceiving that everyone around them is depressed if not thinking of suicide, which is not healthy for the student’s mental health (Katella, 2024).

Moreover, social media has unfortunately created fertile ground for the insidious issue of cyberbullying (Cao et al., 2020). According to Alim (2016) and Cao et al. (2020), cyberbullying, characterized using electronic communication to harass, intimidate, or embarrass a victim, thrives on the very features that define social media platforms. Unlike traditional bullying, which often occurs in a confined physical space, cyberbullying can spread instantaneously and reach a vast audience. Negative comments, rumors, or personal attacks can be widely shared with a few clicks, inflicting significant distress on the victim (Cao et al., 2020). Besides, the constant connectivity of social media platforms exacerbates the impact of cyberbullying on mental health (Alim, 2016). The victim cannot escape the harassment, as it permeates their online and potentially offline lives. Teenagers, especially vulnerable to peer pressure and social acceptance, can be deeply affected by the negativity and cruelty experienced online. In essence, social media has transformed cyberbullying from a localized issue into a pervasive threat to mental wellbeing. The very features that promote connection and communication can be weaponized to inflict harm, low self-esteem, feelings of hopelessness, and even suicidal ideation.

Despite those negative impacts of social media on mental health, there are potential positive impacts on mental health like social support and self-expression. As stated by Office of the Surgeon General (2023), it is possible that social media offers certain pros for some youths in that it creates the social community that indicates both identity and interest. It can open some knowledge and give a person the opportunity to share something important (Bekalu, McCloud & Viswanath, 2020). Positive social relatedness recognized by the Youth: A number of benefits arising from the use of social media by the youth include The youthful individuals can develop friendships online and social relations (Beyens et al., 2020). It is in these relationships it is possible to have positive influences with more diverse sets of peers than is possible for them, offline and can offer significant social support to youths.

Impact of social media on teenager’s social behavior

On the positive side, the social media help users to find channels through which they could connect or communicate Bohn, 2021). It provides teenagers with areas where they can fit in and find others who have the same hobbies or interests and an opportunity to express themselves in online space which is very beneficial for personal development of their identities (Allen et al., 2014). Social media also aids communication that is, direct and intuitive over the same geography as well (Naslund et al., 2020). As opposed to conventional models with restrictions linked to distance and time that 2.5 limited possibilities, these platforms are an organic and unobtrusive tool for overcoming distances (Bohn, 2021). Friends and families who might have moved to different homes within the same city, town or even a different country, can easily be reached by the teenagers. This aptitude of being able to maintain intimate ties, even when they are geographically distant, creates a feel of togetherness and being part of a group (Bekalu et al., 2020). In addition, social media is not restricted to people’s acquaintances; they reach beyond the actors’ immediate social circles. Public interests can bring hope and when using telecommunications, an opportunity to make new friends as teenagers from different parts of the world might indulge in similar interests (Manjunatha, 2013). It offers opportunities to embrace changes and discover other people and ways of thinking in the world. For that matter, social media has made the world a global village in the sense that developing relationships between teenagers and everyone else has been made more manageable than ever before.

To young people, who could experience the necessity of maintaining their status in accordance with the expectations of society, online communication is relatively more anonymous as well as less risky than real-life contacts (Naslund et al., 2020). Such a formulation of demands as expectations to conform may be challenging for people as it applies pressure to those who tend to be introverted or suffer from anxiety during social interactions (Bohn, 2021). In this case, teenagers can freely chat and make statements that can otherwise be refunded to them regarding their nature and location or feedback given by other people if the conversation was held in person (Bekalu et al., 2020). They can choose what aspects of themselves to present, potentially mitigating the anxiety associated with being judged for their appearance, interests, or social awkwardness.

It is mightily helpful to be able to seek some consolation from strangers, especially for those teenagers who struggle with mental disorders or have no friends in real life. For example, forums for teenagers suffering from conditions like depression, anxiety, or those who undergone through some specific occurrences in their life, like the loss of a close one, give adolescents the feeling of inclusion and empathy which they may fail to receive in their day to day lives. These communications offer certain levels of anonymity for teens that facilitate more openness than they would be comfortable with during talking to them directly, thus making interaction with friends can be franker and more meaningful (Veselsk et al., 2023). It enables a support network for them. This backing structure can indeed be very crucial their mental and emotional health needs because it provides timely reinforcement and addresses feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Furthermore, thanks to the account creation on existing social networks, teenagers gained more extensive coverage of information that contributes to the development of compassion and cultural sensitivity. Instagram, X, and TikTok, for instance, give users a glimpse into how people live, what they think, feel, and do in corners of the world they may have never seen before. This exposure not only makes the teenagers more open to the concept of diversity, but it also exposes them to the subject in a much wider way. This is something that may be contradiction because, as stated in a study conducted by Purboningsih et al. (2023) 46% of teenagers who use social media claimed that this allows them to develop a perceptive of people who are different from themselves. Thus, following influencers, activists, friends, and fellow teenagers, who are either from another culture or living in another country, is an opportunity to learn about the peculiarities of their interaction with the world.

Nonetheless, use of social media especially by the teenagers is likely to transform the way teenagers communicate. For instance, the use of social media has greatly changed the aspect of face-to-face communication among teenagers (Bekalu, McCloud & Viswanath, 2020). Given the continuous availability and privacy of messenger applications and social networks, a growing number of adolescents prefer digital contact rather than face-to-face communication.

Spontaneous face-to-face communication may also pose difficulties to teenagers who are used to the abbreviations and emoticons typical for Internet messages and social networking sites (Manjunatha, 2013). This shift can minimize avenues for practicing the verbal and non-verbal communication skills learnt in class. Face-to-face communication can suffer when teenagers start to lose their excellent skills to interpret body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. This kind of communication also has a disadvantage where more emphasis is on writing since the body language and physical presence of the speaker is not conveyed.

One of the social impacts of social media among teenagers and youth is the social skills development aspect. Face-to-face communication is an essential skill that teenagers receive in their peer groups, such as empathy, conflict solving, or teamwork. Specifically, Chasombat (2014) posited that because many interactions on social media are fleeting and primarily concerned with projecting an identity, there may be limited opportunities to develop these skills. Although social media increases people’s chances of interacting with other people, such chances are promulgated in brief and shallow manners. Based on Bekalu, McCloud and Viswanath (2020), while indulging in hashtag wars rewards timely reactions, likes, and comments, it encourages amount-based evaluation of social interactions. This environment may hamper the first constructions of social skills that are implied in empathy, active listening and conflict solving (Chasombat, 2014). Additionally, because interactions that occur online are more anonymous and distant than face-to-face interactions, they can provide the impetus for negative behaviors like bullying and harassment, thus adding more problems to social skills’ improvement.

Through the social media platforms, youths can build real life relationships too. Although these platforms may indeed build and sustain connections online and across distinct geographical locations, it cannot replace tangible, close human interactions (Manjunatha, 2013). Real-life dynamics involve time, experiences, and bodily interaction, which are elements that cannot be clearly observed in an online romance. Despite the positive effects possessed by social media, it also poses several challenges including it results in social isolation and the creation of unrealistic expectations of relationships as the media users may only display the best side of them or the lives, they are leading (Bohn, 2021). This can create false expectations of what the individual is like based on the altered online presence, causing disappointment upon further interaction. Also, it can be stated that the openness of social media platforms makes it easier for users to find and interact with other users as compared to real life, which can mean that users invest less time and effort in the management of real-life relationships (Allen et al., 2014). There is less pressure in social media interactions and could take a breather from the elliptical of real-world interactions and concrete social skills needed for tangible face-to-face interactions for an effective creation of deep wellspring of long-lasting friendship (Bekalu, McCloud & Viswanath, 2020).

In addition, social media's addictive nature fuels the negative effect on one’s social life. The constant pressure to check notifications, respond to messages, and keep up with the online world can morph into excessive screen time, displacing real-life interactions and activities Bohn,

2021). According to a Ricardson (2015), teenagers feel pressured to make themselves available 24/7, and the resulting anxiety if they did not respond immediately to texts or posts. This detachment from the offline world can then lead to feelings of loneliness and social anxiety, further intensifying the need for the very online validation and connection that fuels the addiction in the first place.

Additionally, online interactions weaken familial bonds and diminish the quality of time spent with family (Uecker & McClure, 2023). Family plays a crucial role in a teenager's development, providing emotional support, guidance, and belonging (Ding, 2024). When teenagers prioritize social media over family interactions, it can lead to a breakdown in communication and a feeling of disconnection within the family. Ephesians 6:1-3 highlights the importance of honoring and maintaining strong relationships with one's parents, essential for a healthy family life: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother' which is the first commandment with a promise' so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.'" Many teenagers have found themselves at a crossroads with their parents because of the pervasive social use thus going against this commandment that has a promise.

Impact of social media on teenagers’ religious behavior

Social media can expose teenagers to diverse religious views and communities. What was not available to teenagers before social media appeared was the open door to practicing religious activities online. When interacting online, teenagers should be guided by the principles of Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) and use social media in a way that aligns with their faith values and to spread messages of hope, kindness, and their faith. Social media is a powerful tool to help the faith communities be connected both online with other similar believers all in the equal beliefs that they hold (Bakar et al., 2022). In the current society, Becker (2021) points out that virtual religious groups allow members to be connected since they interact in a way that builds, maintains, and even deepens their faith; as well as support one another by providing guidance and comfort in matters of morality and emotions (Van Bavel et al., 2023). Teenagers can also be able to engage in debates, come with their horror stories, or seek advice from their peers and even the community. It also enables them to increase interactions with the religious authority and with other members of the faith when they are geographically distant from others of their kind.

Participation in online religious groups greatly helped the teenagers for their spiritual development. They can be part of discussion forums and forums that addresses different religious topics, listen to sermons, read religious literature, and anything that is religious that can enhance their understanding and faith (Johnson, 2023). For instance, through social media platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and other applications, youngsters get to witness religious activities such as services and other religious related activities without moving from the comfort of their homes through live streaming (Bakar et al., 2022). This accessibility makes it possible for teenagers to adhere to their religious beliefs and therefore continue with their spiritual transition commission despite barriers such as physical ones. Furthermore, to be integrated with others who provide encouragement for those habits and beliefs can help modify desirable behavior and enhance upright character.

Additional to genuine religious needs, other needs of growth – emotional and psychological – are also met by these virtual religious communities. During individual or societal struggles, these communities provide solace and direction on what to look forward, to and do next (Koburtay et al., 2023). For example, due to limitations amid the COVID-19 outbreak, numerous adolescents sought spiritual and counseling support through social media platforms and the Internet. The thought of being able to pray with one another, to have others know what you are going through in life, and to get words of comfort can greatly reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety. This can be supported by the biblical principle of bearing one another’s burden to encourage teenagers to have a safe and supportive environment to help them through their teenage years.

Another instance of social media usage that has contributed a positive change to teenagers is in the availability and access to religious content; thus, teenagers are able to interact with their religion daily. Some of the platforms provide countless religious teachings, sermons, and discussions which Teenagers can easily get any time they want. As pointed out by Evolvi (2021) youth is now participating in religious groups and spirituality by finding other religious leaders and people from different geographical regions that they use as resources to enhance their spiritual journey. Online platforms such as the YouTube, Facebook among other social media, are filled with live stream services and recorded sermons and teachings from churches around the world which the teenagers can watch and engage in worship and religious classes online, from the comfort of their homes.

It also enables young people to receive religious content on social media platforms and deeper their understanding of their faith. They can choose various points of view and possibilities as to how religious books may be read and can use this as enrichment and spiritual progression (Kraner, 2023). For instance, teenagers can use social media to access expert religious accounts, engage with communities and pages that post theological content, and watch congregation-friendly videos that make it easier for them to understand certain doctrines. This is particularly in the context of the concept of pursuing knowledge and understanding as an important part of the development of the human character.

Advancements in knowledge of religious beliefs, acceptable norms, and values, made by youth using social media also encourage teenagers to engage actively in religious debates and groups, thus promoting a sense of purposeful belonging. Living in an online community, teenagers can freely explore and ask questions, comment on some points, and get advice from friends or other experienced users. Regarding the interactional characteristic of social media, this might strengthen their religious selves and motivate them to practice their faith on a regular basis as Kraner (2023) pointed out. In this regard, practicing religions in the online communities, teenagers have the chance of gaining support that enable them to effectively practice their faith.

However, the application of social media moreover has brought a range of chances for interreligious dialogue, through which individuals from Jewish, Christian, and Muslim beliefs can freely discuss and develop tolerance between each other. I know it sounds corny, but these online forums enable people of different religion to engage with one another and embrace the concepts of tolerance and compassion. Marshall (2021) appreciates that through the social media networks, youth Interaction across varying cultures and religious beliefs makes society more tolerant. Additionally, social media such as X and Instagram promote the holding of interfaith discussions wherein teenagers can express personal beliefs, opinions, and learn about other religious practices and values. People should listen to different religions, and understand the principles, thus eradicating prejudices, therefore the prayer of Jesus in the context of loving one’s neighbor as one loves oneself is important.

Young Christians and those from other denominations should use social networks to find friends of different beliefs and discuss religious topics to expand their knowledge and gain better understanding of one’s faith and limits. These are the things that teenagers can achieve by becoming active participants of these conversations: First, it helps to dispel common myths and stereotypes regarding the given topic (Marshall, 2021); second, it provides an opportunity to establish a united community based on respect. It assists them in learning and engaging and makes them wiser in their faith as they pursue lifelong enlightenment. It increases their religious commitment and, as a result, improves their cultural understanding and ability to engage other people, which is crucial if we consider the growing internationalization of communities.

Another problem related to social networks is fake news, which is quite relevant given teenagers’ demand for religious information. In most cases, as they engage more hours in the internet usage as teenagers, they are more likely to come across misleading religious material. This misinformation only serves to compound misconceptions that non-Sunni Muslims have about their religion. For instance, some teenagers have stopped practicing religion as they believed it was wrong based on maybe interpretation of religious texts given to them or being told that some unpopular view is mainstream. Zaman (2023) affirms that corrupt influences affecting teenagers have disrupted the basics believed through family and community contacts by providing incorrect religious information and has therefore given teenagers an inadequate understanding of their faith.

Sadly, unjustified beliefs are given birth by the social media platforms in most cases, as they rarely hold accurate checks. This is caused by pop-culture icons and intellectuals, who lack theological education, but act as teachers and mislead their youth followers. According to the study conducted by Louis and Mohamed (2024), 60% of teenagers actively come across religious content on social media though a major chunk of this content is not filtered. This results to adoption of unrealistic beliefs for instance an author may come up with a religious fanaticism credo or he may advance a religious tenet that is an absolute invention. It not only produces confusion among teenage groups, but also brings a wrong perception among groups from the same religion.

Through staying connected with friends, teenagers are presented with various religious ideas, which creates anxiety and questions teenagers’ beliefs. Online forums are active with discussions where people of different faith stand and speak different religion and divorce on the same issue (Shamim, 2024). For the teenage participants, who are in a state of searching their beliefs and affirming their faith, this kind of exposure is disorienting and destabilizing. This research reveals that teens often come across multiple opposing religious material on social media platforms, and this confuses them, causing them to waver in their faith. This environmental pressure of having all these counter messages and attitudes has caused them to experience confusion thus raising questions about their faith.

The issues highlighted here are magnified in social media because in any case someone is bound to create a controversy over an issue or a news story. Teenagers may be involved in discussions and may get the feeling of actively defending oneself to be superior to aggressive criticism (Shamim, 2024). Due to less face-to-face conversational skills the scores keep rising and the conflict escalates to a level where it was not intended to be. Another study conducted by Kraner (2023) revealed that the youth come to social platforms to watch religious content and most of them end up struggling with their faith. Such surroundings can negatively influence a teenager, as they can develop doubts about their own opinion and become lonely because of it, as if their faith is being attacked constantly.

The context of use of social media also permits stereotyped and even fake religiosity with little to no connection to one’s personality. Teenagers are the most vulnerable in this regard since they are social beings who spend much of their time on the social media platforms where religion enjoys a bite size media diet in form of snippets, soft news, images, and video clips (Oki 2023; Uecker & McClure, 2023). These formats trivialize religion and reduce it to simplified messages, something that does not befit the depth and sophistication of religious doctrines. For example, complicated notions, such as theological principles, may be illustrated with certain themes, thus giving a false picture of faith. Some research findings have indicated that high usage of SNS in getting religious education has detrimental effects such that the young people will not have deeper understanding of religious principles and values but rather a surface understanding of them.

In this form of Christianity, people remain at the surface level of the faith, and they are denied the maturity of the faith that enables them to stand firm in their beliefs. Social media sites aim at captivating and clickable content which, in many cases, leads to active discussion over values equality and/or controversies rather than thorough and mature debate. Consequently, youths will exhibit religious prolificacy which will involve identifying with religious measures such as sharing religious inspirational messages or participating in religious online meetings without internalizing the religious beliefs in a productive way. Shamim (2024) states that this has led to a kind of religiosity that is thus more about the demonstration of religiosity in the presumed public sphere than about genuinely held belief. This exposure keeps the teenager or even any young adult clueless between what are real religious teachings and what is just for the show.

The bedrock ideas of the Bible therefore highly cherish godliness when practiced with sincerity and genuine passion. In Matthew 6:1 NIV, Jesus said, ‘Do not let your right hand know what your left hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your father, who sees everything, will reward you.’ This verse is a moral paradox that serves to discourage people from performing righteous deeds to be noticed by others. When teenagers encourage themselves to search for the meaningful meaning behind their religious beliefs, it will be possible to overcome the consequences of the given social networking sites that eel superficiality.

Religious ideology and religious identity confusion through religious exposure on social media have also contributed to constant exposure to different religious beliefs hence causing major religious identity confusion among the teenagers making them have a weak foundation for religious convictions. It is evident that religion precedes virtually all the social platforms with different religious beliefs and practices appealing neatly packaged and persuasive. As it was mentioned teenagers are in the process of developing their own perspective and understanding and that is why they experience difficulty when it comes to circulation of an enormous amount of religious information (Kraner, 2023). This exposure leads to a form of doubtful belief since practitioners come across different versions and forms of practice that do not tally with the expected norm. The Bible warns against the temptations of the world and the dangers of false idols. Matthew 6:24 says: “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Rationale for Study and Gap in the Literature

Given the growing popularity of social networks among adolescents, the problem under consideration has drawn significant attention in academic literature and can be examined in terms of multiple spheres: psychological, social/interpersonal, and academic. Previous work mainly covered the general effects of the use of social media on mental health, relationships, and academic achievement. However, the combination of social media and religious conduct is a topic not researched actively, especially among teenagers who attend church. The particular research gap that will be filled by this study is a dearth of research on how social media influences religious practices, religion orientation and relation to religious group among teenagers within a church setting.

Profile of the Current Study

Today, teenagers in the U.S aged between 13 and 17 years are the biggest users of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snap Chat, Facebook, YouTube Reddit, X (formerly Twitter), Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). Research shows that although these platforms offer opportunities for connection and information, they highly present challenges especially in teenagers mental well-being and social behavior (Allen et al., 2014; Bohn, 2021; Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022; Katella, 2024; Cason et al., 2024). However, from a theological standpoint, there is lack of study on how social media affects teenager’s religious behavior.

The current study seeks to examine the impact of social media on religious behavior of church-going teenagers at St. Louis, MO, USA. to equip parents, religious leaders, and teenagers themselves with strategies for navigating the digital world in a way that fosters both a strong faith and healthy online habits. Biblically, the study is guided by scriptural principles and theological concepts that relate to identity, community, holiness, and wisdom. Relating to theological principles from the Bible spanning from in Genesis 1:28 to Matthew 5:14-16 to Ephesians 4:15-16 among other Biblical foundations, this study seeks to assess how social media can impact the religious behavior of church-going teenagers, therefore guiding both the interpretation of the study findings and the practical implications for church leaders, parents, and educators.

The theories guiding this study are social learning theory developed by Albert Bandura and Ecological Systems Theory, developed by a developmental psychologist Urie

Bronfenbrenner to understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behaviors. According to Alyson and Margaret, by applying the tenets of the Social Learning Theory, the research offers an operational lens through which different people learn through observation and emulation from the environment in which they exist. Cognitive processes, reinforcement, and self-efficacy are considered as the major factors to explain behavior according to the theory. In addition, applying processes of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, the work offers a sound theoretical background for explaining the multiple and hierarchical impact shaping the religious engagement in church-attending teenagers in the context of new media. It makes it possible for the researcher to look at how social media is linked to the various ecological levels such as the family, church and the broader culture, and analyze how religious behaviors’ of teenagers are being developed in the context of a globally interconnected world.

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design Synopsis

The study will use mixed method design where the researcher will collect and analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. This method was selected because it will allow the researcher to address the limitations of both quantitative and qualitative techniques. The quantitative data will be collected through survey questionnaires and use descriptive statistics to analyze the data. The survey design will include use of closed-ended questions to measure social media usage patterns, mental health effect social behavior, and religious behavior. A pilot test will be conducted to test on the survey on a small group of teenagers to ensure clarity and comprehensiveness. The surveys will be administered online, where the participants will be given a link to google forms where they can easily fill out their answer anonymously. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the quantitative survey data using Excel software, and the results will be reported using frequencies, percentages, and averages.

On the other hand, the qualitative data will be obtained through focus group surveys and use thematic analysis technique to analyze the transcribed data. According to Stewart and Shamdasani (2014), a focus group can be defined broadly as “a type of group discussion about a topic under the guidance of a trained group moderator” (p. 687). The researcher will develop semi-structured guides with open-ended questions tailored to explore teenagers' experiences, thoughts, and feelings about social media and its impact on their lives, focusing on church youth groups. The discussions will be recorded with permission from participants for transcription in the later stage of analysis. The focus group sessions will take place over a period of three months. This timeline will allow for sufficient scheduling flexibility to accommodate the availability of the participants and to ensure thorough and thoughtful data collection. The extended duration will also provide the opportunity for ongoing reflection and analysis, enabling the researcher to refine questions and explore emerging themes in subsequent focus groups. The research will rely on qualitative data analysis software (NVivo) to organize, code, and analyze the data after it has been transcribed.

The Problem

Teenagers today are immersed in a digital world dominated by social media. Today, teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years are the biggest users of social media where are research by Phew Research Center shows that 67% of U.S. use TikTok, 62% use Instagram, 59% use Snap Chat, 32% use Facebook, 95% use YouTube while a significant number use platform like Reddit, X, Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). Research shows that teen years are very critical because that is when young ones are growing intellectually, when identities and feelings of self-worth are formed (Katella, 2024). However, research shows that although these platforms offer opportunities for connection and information, they highly present challenges especially in teenagers mental well-being and social behavior (Allen et al., 2014; Bohn, 2021; Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022; Katella, 2024; Cason et al., 2024).

There is lack of study on how social media affects teenager’s religious behavior. From a theological point of view, many religions view the world, including technology, as God's creation. The question then becomes how teenagers in today’s digitally invested space can use this creation responsibly and for good, avoiding its pitfalls. Spiritual growth and discipleship require intentional practices such as prayer, reading scripture, and participating in communal worship. Social media's pervasive presence can distract teenagers from these spiritual disciplines, consuming time and attention that could be devoted to nurturing their faith. Theologically, this raises concerns about how digital engagement might hinder spiritual formation and the development of a robust and mature faith. This study will address this gap and build on the existing research on the impact of social media on teenagers' mental well-being and social behavior.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the impact of social media on religious behavior of church-going teenagers at St. Louis, MO, USA. in order to equip parents, religious leaders, and teenagers themselves with strategies for navigating the digital world in a way that fosters both a strong faith and healthy online habits. At this stage in the research , social media will be generally defined as any digital or online platform that allows users to create and share content online. The theories guiding this study are social learning theory developed by Albert Bandura and Ecological Systems Theory, developed by a developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner to understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behavior.

Research Questions

The following research questions will be addressed in the study:

RQ1: How does social media affect the religious behavior of church-going teenagers in St. Louis?

RQ2: How does social media affect church-going teenagers' engagement with religious practices, beliefs, and communities in St. Louis?

RQ3: What is the role of parents, educators and religious leaders in ensuring churchgoing teenagers consume the right content from social media?

Research Design and Methodology

Quantitative Research

Research Population

The research population or the target group refers to the entire group of individuals to which the researcher wants to generalize findings (Banerjee & Chaudhury, 2010). In this study, population is teenagers aged 13-17 years residing in St. Louis, MO, USA. Based on the most recent American census data, it is seen that there are 60,837 residents under the age of 18 in St. Louis, which is approximately 18% of the total population in the city jurisdiction (U.S. Census Bureau, 2022). This demographic includes a diverse group of young individuals in various stages of adolescence, encompassing middle school, high school, and early college years. The selection of this age range is intended to capture the full spectrum of adolescent experiences with social media, as this period is critical for identity formation, social development, and religious engagement.

Research Sample(s) and Sampling Technique(s)

The aim of sampling is to have a sample size that is adequate and is a representation of the targeted population (Crowther & Lancaster, 2012). This study will use purposive techniques when recruiting participants for the study. In this case, the researcher only takes individuals who meet the necessary standards constructive to the goals of the research in this case; the teenagers involved are social media active users who are within the required age bracket. According to Etikan et al. (2016), purposeful sampling enables the researcher to reach numbers of patients who stand high chances of offering the needed information in the study. The data will be collected using a sample of 382 participants. However, the above sample size will be modified to fit specific resources available according to the study’s limitations or resources available.

Proposed Instrumentation

Research instrument refers to the specific tools or methods chosen to collect data (Zohrabi, 2013). In this case, the researchers will be using survey questionnaires to collect quantitative data.

Survey questionnaires development

To develop the survey, the researcher will utilize closed ended question design, meaning that the survey questions will have a limited set of pre-defined answer choices for participants to select from. Some guidelines for closed-ended question that can be applied to increase the assessment capability include clarity of the question statement; relevance of the questions and the response options; briefness of the question and keeping a balance between length of the question and number of options provided; exhaustive formulation of the response options; and finally, the mutually exclusive nature of the options (Zhou et al., 2017). To ensure that the research questions developed are effective in generating useful data, the survey questions will be formulated based on the information from literature review and the online surveys piloted meticulously to ensure that they deliver accurate data that would correspond with the general objectives of the survey. This design will allow for easier data analysis compared to open-ended questions where participants provide their own answers (Zhou et al., 2017).

The provided choices will follow a 5-point Likert Scale (1: Strongly Disagree, 2: Disagree, 3: Neutral, 4: Agree, 5: Strongly Agree). In this case, participants will have five options to express their level of agreement or disagreement with a particular statement. A 5items Likert scale is developed by following significant preps for the questionnaire to measure the attitudes, perceptions, or satisfaction level of the respondents. The first step priority in surveying is to first and foremost define the main objective of the survey (Joshi et al., 2015). The kind of results that one is aiming at, for example, attitudes towards online learning, has to inform the kind of statements that are developed. Following this, the next procedure is to transform the objective into a set of specific and concise statements regarding the given topic

(Mirahmadizadeh et al., 2018). These statements should be positive as well as negative to ensure that there is no skewness in the participants’ response towards one or the other extreme. As a result, the responses will be consistent, which means the researcher will have an easy time quantifying and analyzing the data statistically. In addition, the participants will feel encouraged to take a clear stance on the presented statements (Joshi et al., 2015).

Validating the survey questionnaire

Validation checks on the fact that the survey aims at measuring what it aims to measure. The researcher will ensure the questionnaire comprehensively covers the intended aspects of the research topic and focus area. This will be in addition to consulting with the supervisor to assess the survey content's relevance and accuracy in all questions. The supervisor will assist in evaluating whether the questionnaire appears to measure what it claims to measure from the perspective of an expert.

Testing for Reliability

The first thing the researcher will ensure reliability of the survey is through a pilot test of around 30 people. A pilot test will be conducted to test on the survey on a small group of teenagers to ensure clarity and comprehensiveness. Through a pilot test, the researcher can uncover and address any ambiguities, confusing questions, or technical problems that could affect the consistency of responses. To measure the internal consistency reliability, the researcher will utilize Cronbach's alpha test which normally gives a score between 0 and 1. In this case, a higher score, from 0.7 or above indicates better internal consistency. In other words, if the test gives a score of at least 0.7, it will mean that the survey questions are effectively capturing the same underlying concept as intended by the researcher.

Limitations of Generalization

Validity is one of the most important criteria that are used in measuring generalizability in studies conducted using quantitative research methods (Polit & Beck, 2010). For instance, external validity or the extent to which findings from one investigation can be translated to other setting, has been an appreciated attribute for years (Polit & Beck, 2010). One limitation of this study is that the findings may not be easily generalizable to all teenagers outside of the St. Louis, Missouri area. The cultural, socio-economic, and regional characteristics of St. Louis might influence the behaviors and attitudes of the participants, meaning the results might not fully reflect the experiences of teenagers in different geographic locations or contexts. Additionally, the use of purposive sampling limits the ability to generalize findings to the entire population of teenagers, as the sample is not randomly selected (Etikan et al., 2016).

Ethical Considerations

While surveys might seem like a gentle touchpoint a participant is likely not to be able to link with the researcher and may not be impacted by the research findings, meaning a set of guidelines for ethical research using surveys is required (Hammer, 2017). In their study, Roberts and Allen (2015) identified the following as the major ethical issues inevitable in the use of online surveys: consent, incentives for response, individual and collective privacy and anonymity, and data quality. In this study, the researcher will explain and obtain consent from all the participants about the research’s purpose, procedures, and their individual rights as subjects.

In the case of the minors, consent will also be required from either the parents or the guardian of the minor. The confidentiality principle mandates that participants will be free to withdraw from the study at any one time without any repercussions.

As to the third point, participants will also be made aware that there is no reward for completing the survey. Compensation of people willing to take the survey is encouraged because most people do not participate in surveys voluntarily (Roberts & Allen, 2015). That, on the other hand, creates ethical dilemmas specifically with regards to coercion or pressure in extorting results. This means that incentives have to be fashioned in a manner in which they do not distort people’s freedom of choice, and they ought not to be very big to an extent where an individual would feel compelled to take part in research against his or her will. Besides, it is important to weigh the effectiveness of the incentives on the targeted vulnerable groups and refugees as well as the ethical implications of the incentives that are offered.

The anonymity of the participants is always of utmost importance when conducting any kind of a survey especially online surveys. Study participants should provide information without the possibility of the information being traced back to them and the researcher must ensure this by employing measures to protect participant’s information. This covers issues of encryption and safety of the data collected, stripping of the data where necessary, and most importantly, informing the participants on how the data collected would be used and shared (Roberts & Allen, 2015). Furthermore, one has to think about group identification, or more formally, about collective privacy, meaning that the information cannot expose any specific groups or communities. In this study, pseudonyms will be used for identifying participants and no data will not be presented in a manner that volunteers can be identified or their individual responses can be traced. While the researcher may not need to use pseudonyms at all since collection of the data will be through interviews, it is the duty of the researcher to provide an extra layer of protection and build the trust of participants especially those who might feel more comfortable responding honestly if they know their data is further anonymized with pseudonyms. Furthermore, the study will adhere to ethical guidelines and regulations for conducting research with minors, ensuring their safety and well-being throughout the research process.

In terms of data quality, the online format can create relevant problems. Thus, uncertain questions, problems with equipment, and fake participants can result in invalid data. It is crucial that researchers avoid contamination of the data since such information may harm participants or communities if there is an attempt to implement the incorrect information. When working with survey methods, researchers have to produce comprehensible questionnaires, prevent such technical troubles as servers being overloaded, or a big number of participants coming simultaneously, etc (Roberts & Allen, 2015). If it is necessary to identify participants, scholars have to develop special measures for the verification of participants. However, researchers are required to provide information regarding limitations of the analysis and ought to also implement some means of handling some or other issues concerning data authenticity. The researcher will take measures to ensure the data collected through online surveys is accurate and reliable by designing clear and concise questions and storing the responses in a secure computer.

Research Procedures

The church is where the researcher believes she can have access to the target demographic at ago. The focus will be church-going teens. The participants will be invited via a link that they can fill up their answers and submit at their own convenience. The researcher will approach the target demographics, explain to them the purpose of the study and seek their consent to participate before sharing the google forms link through their preferred platform such as Email, WhatsApp, and so on.

Data Analysis and Statistical Procedures

Descriptive statistics will be used to analyze the quantitative survey data using Excel software. Descriptive statistics involve summarizing and describing the characteristics of the data (George & Mallery, 2018). The results will be reported using frequencies (the number of times each answer choice is selected for a particular question), percentages (frequencies expressed as a proportion of the total number of respondents), and averages (measures like mean, median or mode (most frequent answer)). Tables and different types of graphs will be used to visualize the data.

Qualitative Research

Setting

In qualitative focus group research, the setting refers to the physical and social environment where the focus group discussion takes place (Gibbs, 2012). Setting plays a crucial role in influencing the quality and nature of the data collected. The setting for this research is a church, specifically targeting the youth groups within this religious community. Churches often serve as central social hubs for their members, particularly for young people, and provide a context where values, behaviors, and community interactions are deeply intertwined with religious teachings. The church setting was also chosen because of the religious aspect of the research questions, whereby obtaining relevant data about the influence of social media on teenagers’ religious will be easier. In addition, conducting the research in this setting allows for the examination of how social media influences not only the general well-being and social interactions of teenagers but also their religious behavior and engagement within a faith-based community.

Participants

Participants will be recruited from the church youth, specifically targeting those aged 13 to 17 years and those that will have participated in the survey. The researcher will select participants from church youth groups who are willing to discuss their social media experiences openly. To ensure comprehensive data collection and to reach data saturation, the study will conduct at least five focus groups, each consisting of 5-6 participants. According to Breen (2006), researchers using focus groups for data collection should ensure that the groups are homogenous, and comprise between four and six people in each. This sampling strategy aims to capture a diverse range of perspectives and experiences, providing a thorough understanding of the research topic. In addition, the researcher will seek to have at least 5 focus group sessions. Based on the arguments of Corbin (1990) and Breen (2006), the number of interviews to be conducted should focus on the degree of expectation of the researcher that he or she will be reaching theoretical saturation when conducting the thematic analysis; that is, more than expectation of the next interview would reveal new themes. By the time the interview hit the 10-12 mark; the researcher is usually sated from experience from theoretical saturations (Breen, 2006).

Role of the Researcher

In focus group discussion, the researcher plays the role of a moderator in which the researcher facilitates and begins the discussion with pre-set questions and does not control the flow of group discussion (Nyumba et al., 2018). In this study, the researcher will assume the role of focus group leader or moderator and facilitate the arranged discussions by ensuring that each participant has the opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences. The researcher will guide the conversation with prepared questions but also allow the discussion to flow naturally, probing deeper into relevant topics as they arise. This role requires the researcher to be neutral, empathetic, and skilled in managing group dynamics to foster an open and respectful dialogue (Gibbs, 2012). As a moderator, the researcher will be attuned to participants' emotional wellbeing and create a space where they feel safe to express discomfort or need breaks if necessary.

Data Collection Methods and Instruments

The qualitative data will be collected through focus groups with church youth, particularly those between age 13- 17 years. Nyumba et al. (2018) define a focus group as a group discussion on a particular topic organized, guided, monitored and recorded by a researcher for research purposes. In those group discussions, the researcher acts as the moderator or facilitator.

To successfully conduct the focus group discussions, the researcher will utilize various instruments starting with a consent form that participants will be required to sign before the focus group begins. The consent forms will outline how the data will be collected and used thereafter. In addition, the researcher will need to have a phone ready for audio or video recording based on how comfortable the participants will be. The recording will be used later where the conversation will be recorded verbatim. The researcher will also take notes using paper and pen, capturing the key points, nonverbal cues, and anything that may not be clear on the recording (e.g., body language). This will mainly be a backup to provide additional details.

Ethical considerations

While explaining the relevance of focus groups for international business research, Sim and Waterfield (2019) argue that focus group methodology creates different ethical issues that do not have a one-to-one match with those arising from face-to-face interviews. The ethical

concerns that can frequently arise when conducting a focus group include consent; confidentiality and anonymity; and risks of harm (Tolich, 2016; Sim & Waterfield, 2019). In this study, one very important factor will be the willingness of the participants to participate. It will be ensured that both the teenagers and their parents or guardians provide their informed consent on their participation. As White (2013) remarks, consent is backed up by the accompanying principle of respect for persons, signifying, one must never treat the other merely as a means to an end. As such, the researcher will ensure participants’ wish will be respected and that they understand the study and make an autonomous choice about involvement. The researcher will ensure participants are fully informed and empowered to make a voluntary decision. This will be achieved by providing adequate information about the study's purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits.

Besides, anonymity in reporting will be strictly maintained to protect the privacy of the participants, ensuring that no identifiable information is disclosed in the study's findings. According to Sim and Waterfield (2019), anonymity focuses on whether an individual participant can be identified from the collected data. In an anonymous study, there's no way to link any information back to a specific person. This might involve removing names, addresses, or any other details that could potentially reveal someone's identity. Some participants might be worried about specific details being revealed even if they cannot be personally identified (Tolich, 2016). For example, someone might be willing to share their struggles with social media but not be comfortable if their religious beliefs were made public without being anonymous. In this study, the participant's identity will be kept confidential by ensuring that no one outside the research team can identify participants from the reported findings.

Additionally, the researcher will create a safe and supportive environment for the discussions, emphasizing that participants can withdraw from the study at any time without any repercussions. While there are moments when focus groups almost encourage participants’ support, there are also times when one’s vulnerability with other people’s group may be destructive and result to social or psychological harm when the confidentiality and anonymity of the participants are compromised by the data gleaned from the discussion (Ransome, 2013). Some of the risks that participants may face include embarrassment, shame, stigmatization, discrimination, problem in existing relationships with friends, family and other relativity, disadvantageous consequences at the place of work, and legal consequences for exposures sometime that leads to legal implication (Sim & Waterfield, 2019). To avoid any form of harm to participants, the researcher will set clear ground rules for respectful discussion and emphasize confidentiality to help participants feel more comfortable sharing their views and experiences with social media. Data Analysis

Analysis Methods

To analyze the focus group data, thematic analysis technique will be followed. According to Braun and Clarke (2019), thematic analysis is a method for analyzing qualitative data that focuses on identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns (themes) within the data. They outline the six steps that must be followed when conducting thematic analysis including

1. Familiarization: The first, and preliminary process is familiarization where the researcher rereads the transcripts. This step is highly imperative since it enables one to attain enhanced comprehension of materials presented (Braun & Clarke, 2019). It sometimes means making first notes about the observed texts and underlining the key parts of the text. At this stage, the researcher starts perceiving certain themes, concepts, and perhaps tendencies or trends within the data and the process (Terry et al., 2017). It expands on the objective of previous stages, which is to become fully acquainted with the coverage and richness of the material so that the analysis will be sound and comprehensive.

2. Generating initial Codes: The next step is developing initial codes familiar with the collected data. This entails finding variables within the data, which may be of interest in answering the research question. A code is therefore a label that contains information that will help in the identification of a particular aspect of data (Braun & Clarke, 2019). There are two ways of coding, manual coding and coding with the help of software that analyze the qualitative data. It encompasses the identification of portions in the data which can be deemed significant. This stage of the research involves the procedures where the researcher simply opens the data for coding and tries to code nearly everything, interesting features, and preventing the coding process from attempting to bring in too much order.

3. Searching for themes: After coding the data, the researcher proceeds to search for themes. This includes looking at the codes generated during the study and clustering them as to the possible themes. A theme is therefore a stronger commonality in the data, a meaningful organization that conveys a significant aspect of the data in the context of the research question (Terry et al., 2017). The researcher seeks general themes among the codes and arranges them into themes. This step often entails drawing of some maps like the mind maps or thematic maps for use in determining/identifying the relations between the codes and themes.

4. Reviewing themes: This entails a process of sieving the themes that were generated in the previous step of ensuring that the theme results fit the given coded data and the overall set (Terry et al., 2017). At this stage, the researcher checks for the interrelation, internal validity and divergence of the themes under analysis. In this step, the researcher may have to merge two thematic codes, split one code into two or even delete one of the codes (Braun & Clarke, 2019). Hence, the researcher reviews the data to ensure that there is adequate support for the themes as well as no major gap or contradiction.

5. Defining and naming themes: This entails defining the characteristic feature of each theme and establishing the component of the data that is captured by the respective theme. For each of the themes, the researcher proceeds to explain what makes up the given theme, the unique features of the theme (Terry et al., 2017). The identification of those name accurately is essential if the goal is to offer a clear and concise description of the meaning and extent of each theme to the audience (Braun & Clarke, 2019). The researcher also provides specification and delineation of the written manuscripts and choose data extracts that are pertinent to every theme.

6. Writing up: The last process in thematic analysis is writing what has been found out in the study. This refers to the process of reporting the themes that have been identified in a logical and intelligible manner. This work features a description of the themes and data chunks that support each theme to give the reader first-hand elements of the findings. As the component of the methodology section, the researcher describes how the themes were derived from the literature review and refined into a coding scheme, which corresponds to the research question (Braun & Clarke, 2019).

The write-up must be organized and employ headings that include introduction, methodology, result and discussion. The idea for this arrangement is to aim at giving sufficient and worthwhile review and interpretation for a given set of data. The researcher will follow these steps to analyze the focus group data and triangulate with the quantitative data.

Trustworthiness

In qualitative studies, trustworthiness refers to the overall confidence one can have in the truthfulness and credibility of the research findings (Ahmed, 2024). Whereas the consensus with regards to critics is that they are reluctant to believe that methods that are applied in qualitative research will provide credible results, there has been existing frameworks through which rigorous qualitative work has been conducted for a long time. In qualitative research, the pillars of trustworthiness include credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability (Ahmed, 2024).

Credibility

This pillar is concerned with the level of assurance and confidence which can be attributed to the conclusions made in the study (Anney, 2014). To demonstrate credibility in this study, the emphasis will be on whether the obtained findings do portray the church youth participants’ experiences and views. This will be achieved by triangulating the quantitative data in order establish an agreement or addition of findings from one another.

Dependability

This pillar guarantees that the study findings would be replicated if a similar study will be conducted on similar group of church youth. To establish dependability, the researcher will write notes by hand, that gives physical indicators that may not be understandable from the actual recording. According to Ahmed (2024), all the decisions made during conducting the research must be described so that other researchers could replicate the study and ensure that the findings are reliable.

Confirmability

Confirmability refers to what extent the findings of a research study could be replicated by other researchers. It is related to the bias and issues regarding favoritism of the issues and findings, which ensures that research results possess no underlying inclinations or prejudice of the researcher (Kakar et al., 2023). To achieve confirmability, the researcher will triangulate both qualitative and quantitative data.

Transferability

This pillar pertains to the degree to which the research findings can be extrapolated to alternative contexts or situations (Ahmed, 2024). In the context of this study, transferability is concerned with the extent to which the study’s conclusions can be made in other settings other than the church youth group. Thus, the researcher will make use of transferability to ensure that clear and extensive explanations are made throughout the research report to enable the reader to consider the generality of the study findings in other similar situations. For instance, the researcher will give readers an understanding of procedures used in the study and the data analysis technique with a view of enabling readers to gauge the research findings’ generalizability across other settings.

Chapter Summary

This research aims to examine the digital dilemma facing churchgoing teenagers, especially when it comes to the influence of social media on their religious behavior. Mixed method has been chosen in this study to enhance the validity and reliability of the data and their interpretation. The method will provide a richer understanding of the impact of social media on teenagers’ religious behavior. For quantitative research, data will be collected using survey questionnaires designed with closed ended questions and 5-point Likert scale for consistency in results. The questionnaires will be distributed online after obtaining consent from participants, who mostly will be accessed from the churches across St. Louis, MO. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarize and analyze the quantitative data, where tables and graphs will be used to visualize the findings. Qualitative data obtained through focus groups with church youth will be analyzed using thematic analysis method.

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