week 6 cled 988

BEHAVIOR OF CHURCH-GOING TEENAGERS.

by Arnita Norman

A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Doctor of Education in Christian Leadership

Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA

8/28/2024

APPROVED BY:

Arnita Norman Doctoral of Christian Leadership , Baylor Clark Whitney, Sr., Ed.D.

Name and degree, Dissertation Supervisor

Arnita Norman Doctoral of Christian Leadership, Baylor Clark Whitney, Sr., Ed.D.

Name and degree, Second Reader

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. To understand how social media content influences teenagers' religious beliefs and behaviors, this paper has two guiding theories: Social Learning Theory developed by Albert Bandura and Ecological Systems Theory developed by a developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner. 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 multiple churches in St. Louis with volunteering teenagers.

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

This work is dedicated to my mother and professor, who has supported me and encouraged me to not give up on this journey. Their belief and strength have given them the strength to push through. I also dedicate this study to the teenagers whose voices and experiences shape our understanding of faith in the digital world. This research will contribute to their growth and lead them in navigating the complexities of social media with integrity and purpose.

I also wish to thank Liberty University and its staff for providing me the nurturing that I need to be a success student. I want to give a special thanks to my peers and colleagues, who shared constructive feedback that has enhanced my experience.

I am so grateful to the teenagers and their families in St. Louis who have helped in this study. Your willingness to help share made this research possible. I want to thank my mother, my friends, and my friends for the support that they have given me, the values of faith and perseverance to achieve my goal.

Table of Contents ABSTRACT 3 Copyright © 4 Dedication 5 Acknowledgments 6 List of Figures 10 List of Abbreviations 11 CHAPTER ONE: RESEARCH CONCERN 12 Introduction 12 Background to the Problem 12 The Pervasive Influence of Social Media on Teenagers 14 The Pervasive Influence of Social Media on Teenagers 15 Statement of the Problem 18 Purpose Statement 19 Research Questions 20 Research Assumptions 20 Delimitations of the Research 20 Definition of Terms 21 Significance of the Study 21 Summary of the Design 22 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 24 Overview 24 Theological Framework for the Study 24 Theoretical Framework for the Study 27 Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory 27 Social Learning Theory 32 Related Literature 36 Impact of Social Media on Teenagers’ Psychological Well-Being 36 Impact of social media on teenager’s social behavior 38 Impact of Social Media on Teenagers’ Religious Behavior 41 Rationale for Study and Gap in the Literature 47 Profile of the Current Study 48 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 50 Mixed Methods Research Design 50 Quantitative Data Collection 50 Qualitative Data Collection 50 The Problem 51 Purpose Statement 52 Research Questions 52 Research Design and Methodology 53 Quantitative Research 53 Qualitative Research 59 Chapter Summary 67 REFERENCES 68 Teacher comments please list your appendex here.

Ecological Systems Theory (EST)

New International Version (NIV)

Social Learning Theory (SLT) 

The world of social media is constantly evolving, with teenagers at the forefront, driving new trends and shaping how these platforms are used. In the U.S, the largest percentage of social media users (93%) are teenagers (Dixon, 2024). 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 smaller shares use platforms like Reddit, X, Twitch, Tumblr and WhatsApp (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick & Massarat, 2022). 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.

The journey from basic online communication tools to today's sophisticated networks has been remarkable. In the early 2000s, the digital landscape began to shift dramatically. Myspace emerged as the first social media platform to capture widespread attention, reaching one million active users by 2004 (Mandl, 2023). It offered a novel way for users to create profiles, connect

with friends and share content. Although Myspace eventually faded, it set the stage for future 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 lies 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. For instance, X (formerly Twitter) 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.

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 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 where about 81% of Black teens are reported to be using TikTok compared to 71% of Hispanic teens and 62% of 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 is seen in 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 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 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 the 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.

However, it is worth understanding that the positive or negative outcomes of social media use for children and adolescents is multifaceted and depends on their capacity to adapt to media environment (Beyens et al., 2020). There is no doubt teenagers arrive at social media sites with a set of psychological characteristics, particularly self-esteem. Teenagers with high self-esteem may be less susceptible to negative influences of social media like facing online criticism, while those with low self-esteem may be more vulnerable to these harmful aspects. In addition, teens with preexisting anxiety or social issues could become at risk of falling prey to the dangers or pressures of online communication (Naslund et al., 2020). A teenager is in a very vulnerable state psychologically if she is suffering from depression/ anxiety because using social media would only worsen the situation for her in case she encounters cyber-bullies on any social media platform.

Teenagers around the globe are constantly involved in social media due to the changes in the social culture and 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 promotes 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.

The young people of today’s society can be classified as the ‘digital natives’ – the 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). In their article, “Adolescent development and growing divides in the digital age” Odgers and Jensen (2020), opine 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 ever-introducing elements of the social media scene.

Therefore, youth from privileged 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 influence teenagers’ usage of social networking sites and applications in a substantial manner. Parents with more income may offer more support in proactively teaching their 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 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.

Teenagers today are immersed in a digital world dominated by social media and teenagers aged between 13 and 17 years are the biggest users of social media where a research by the 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 the 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 a lack of study on how social media affects teenager’s religious behavior. From a theological point of view, the Christian religion views 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. Although social media can be a valuable tool for spiritual growth especially when teenagers are exposed to inspiring spiritual content, its pervasive presence can distract teenagers from 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 (Ninan, 2021). 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.

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the impact of social media on the religious behavior of church-going teenagers in 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. 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.

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: How can parents, educators, and religious leaders effectively guide churchgoing teenagers toward navigating and consuming values-aligned content on social media?

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.

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 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 examine the impact of social media on the religious behavior of teenagers without examining the broader aspects of technology or internet usage.

Social media - These are 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.

Digital dilemma: This refers to the challenges and complexities associated with the use of digital technologies.

Teenagers- For the context of this study, these are individuals aged between 13 -17 years.

Church-going teenagers: Those are individuals aged between 13 -17 years who regularly attend religious services or participate in religious activities.

Religious behavior- These are the spiritual actions and practices that an individual depicts regarding their religious belief.

Online communities: These are the groups of people who interact and share common interests in the digital space.

Cyberbullying: The use of digital technology to harass, threaten, or embarrass others online.

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 the literature by exploring how social media affects the religious behaviors of church-going teenagers to uncover its effect on the faith in 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 social media so as to strengthen guidelines and interventions to help teenagers maneuver the evolving age of social media use.

The study will use a 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 the use of closed-ended questions to measure social media usage patterns, mental health effects social behavior, and religious behavior. A pilot test will be conducted to test 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 answers 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 techniques 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.

This chapter provides theological framework of the study as well as extensive review of existing literature related to the study topic. The overarching aim of the study is to 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 strong faith and healthy online habits. The chapter starts with a theological framework where biblical and theological views regarding technology, media, and youths are identified. This is followed by a theoretical foundation underpinning the study. What follows is an evaluation of existing literature that relates to the current research problem. Finally, the chapter shows the importance of the problem being studied by identifying a gap in the existing literature which the study will address. The overall literature review is customized to fit this specific study by only focusing on existing studies that address the impact of social media on teenager’s religious behavior

In exploring how social media influences the religious practices of teenage church attendees, a biblical and theological lens will shape the research throughout. This framework draws on scriptural principles and theological concepts related to identity, community, holiness, and wisdom. It will guide the analysis of results and inform recommendations for church leaders, parents, and educators.

The foundational theological framework is based on the creation mandate described in Genesis 1:28 (New International Version [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.” This calling can be interpreted as an encouragement for young people to act as stewards of both the social media landscape and the physical world. Christian stewardship involves utilizing online platforms in ways that reflect and support God’s purposes, avoiding the creation of harmful content or behaviors (Pomroy, 2018). Teenagers can apply this principle by ensuring their social media use aligns with their values, focusing on ethical content creation and positive interactions. Besides, Ephesians 4:15 (New International Version [NIV]) summarizes spiritual formation “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.” The Bible describes the practices of an individual growing and maturing in a good relationship with God. According to Astin et al. (2010) when people become more Christ-like and conform to the image of Christ in their daily life, they become less focused-on self.

From a theological perspective, social media's dual nature presents both opportunities and challenges for teenagers’ psychological health and religious behavior, impacting their roles as stewards. While social media can facilitate connections and self-expression, its overuse may exacerbate mental health issues like depression and anxiety (Taylor-Jackson & Moustafa, 2021). Moreover, while social media platforms can foster religious exploration, they may also distract from traditional worship practices (Beckham, 2023). Thus, the potential benefits and pitfalls of social media require careful consideration. The Bible underscores the importance of good stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30), prompting teens to be discerning about their content consumption and sharing practices. By fostering discernment, self-discipline, and genuine community engagement, parents, educators, and religious leaders can help teenagers navigate the digital landscape in ways that enhance their well-being and spiritual growth.

Parents, religious leaders, and educators play a crucial role in guiding youth as they navigate the complexities of social media. Just as humanity is called to discern right from wrong, teenagers need guidance in practicing responsible digital citizenship. Ephesians 6:4 (NIV) states, "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." This underscores the importance of teaching critical thinking skills, online safety practices, and ethical considerations when using social media. In her study on the how’s social media impacts spiritual formation among Generation Z students, Ninan (2021) found that social media technology has altered the spiritual formation process of Gen Z students, with Instagram being the social media app with the greatest impact over Facebook Twitter and YouTube. Teenagers should be equipped to leverage social media positively while avoiding its potential harms. For instance, a recent study by Bekalu, McCloud, and Viswanath (2020) suggests that routine social media use can be beneficial if approached mindfully. They advocate for adults to help youth develop “mindful usage” habits and enhance self-regulation skills to counter unhealthy relationships with social media.

The most significant assertion of biblical Christianity about the church can be found in 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." Social media can connect people across regions within the church community, creating both positive and negative effects on belongingness. When used effectively, social media can encourage and edify the church, enabling members to share teachings and support each other's spiritual growth (Lowe & Lowe, 2018). Ephesians 4:15-16 calls believers to engage on social media with love and truth, fostering an environment that nurtures discipleship. A study from Jago (2022) argues that the social media algorithm has become a source of discipleship of young men and women in tailoring the information and frequency they are presented with as they assume the information presented on social media is accurate, factual and coherent with core Christian tenants of faith.

However, 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NIV) warns Christians to guard against disconnection and isolation: "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." This verse is a warning against disconnection and isolation risks that can arise from excessive social media use among teenagers. In the context of social media use by teenagers, social media can foster connection, but it also risks causing loneliness and isolation depending on its use (Boursier et al. 2020). In addition, addiction to social media may hinder the development of close relationships and limit face-to-face communication (Taylor, 2020). This serves as a call for the church to embrace social media while also fostering meaningful offline relationships.

This study is guided by two important theories: Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Social Learning Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Bandura, 1969). These theories will inform the study and assist in the analysis of the results.

Ecological Systems Theory (EST), developed by developmental psychologist Urie Bronfenbrenner in 1977, offers a comprehensive understanding of how various ecological levels—including family, church, and social media—interact to influence teenagers’

development. According to this theory, a teenager is embedded within multiple layers of

influence, ranging from immediate environments like family and peers to broader societal factors EST posits that these interconnected systems affect an individual’s experiences and behavior (Rosa & Tudge, 2013). For example, the interaction between a teenager’s family dynamics and their church community can significantly shape their attitudes and practices, including those related to social media usage. By examining these ecological layers, the study aims to uncover how different environments contribute to the religious practices of teenage church attendees in the context of social media religious actions. According to Bronfenbrenner’s EST, an individual’s development depends on various environmental systems that act as a complex network surrounding the individual (Darling, 2007).

As illustrated in Figure 1, Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory includes five interrelated systems: the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). This ecological approach describes different levels of environments in relation to an individual’s development. The theory posits that child development occurs within a system of relationships influenced by multiple environmental aspects, with the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, and macrosystem representing different levels of influence (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Rosa & Tudge, 2013; Guy-Evans, 2020). Importantly, this model illustrates that these contexts are interconnected rather than separate, highlighting the dynamic interplay between various environmental factors.

According to Bronfenbrenner (1977), a child's environment is organized as a nested arrangement of structures, with each level contained within the others. He categorized these structures based on their impact on a child as follows:

Microsystem: The microsystem, illustrated in Figure 1, is the innermost level of Bronfenbrenner’s model and encompasses the environments in which the individual is directly involved, including family, peers, school, and church. These environments are the most decisive, as they involve direct and recurrent interactions (Darling, 2007; Guy-Evans, 2020). In the microsystem, parents play a crucial role, especially during childhood and early adolescence, as they educate children on issues related to digital media, risks, privacy, and overuse (Graber, 2019). Both parents and peers significantly influence adolescents; as youth gain more autonomy, the impact of peers tends to increase (Sasson & Mesch, 2017). This influence occurs through normative social influence, wherein individuals adjust their behavior to align with that of their peers to gain acceptance (Schultz et al., 2008). Friends and peers can model behaviors and shape adolescents’ attitudes toward issues such as cyberbullying (Sasson & Mesch, 2017). In relation to this study, the microsystem is vital as it is within this context that adolescents engage with religious factors, such as parental instruction, peer interactions, and church activities. Direct religious teachings, modeling of religious practices, and support for religious activities stem from these religiously oriented microsystems, facilitating the socialization of religious beliefs and practices among youth.

Exosystem: The exosystem consists of conditions that impact the individual without direct contact (Sabri et al., 2013). These are external factors that, while not directly experienced by the teenager, still influence them in various ways (Guy-Evans, 2020). For example, organizational policies, school practices, mass media, and community regulations related to parents' workplaces are elements of this system. Social media functions predominantly as an element of the exosystem, exerting a strong indirect influence on the religious behaviors of teenagers. As Smith et al. (2021) claims, adolescent users may not engage directly with the content creators or religious influencers they follow, but they are still affected by the available content. This exposure can shape their perceptions of religion, their religious practices, and their sense of belonging to a particular church. Additionally, it is essential to consider the regulations implemented by social media platforms, as the promotion or restriction of specific topics can significantly impact the religious content accessible to teenagers (Gillespie, 2018).

Macrosystem: The macrosystem encompasses all the other systems and is defined by the societal and cultural context of a given community (Guy-Evans, 2020). This includes cultural beliefs, social expectations, and legal systems. According to Vélez-Agosto et al. (2017), the macrosystem establishes a broader context and exerts an indirect impact on the other systems. For example, teenagers' perceptions of religion, internet culture, and expectations for using social media are macrosystem factors that shape how youth interact with social media platforms and how these interactions influence them.

Chronosystem: The chronosystem represents the outermost layer of a child’s development and is characterized by the dimension of time, including how time influences change in an individual's life, as well as in history and culture (Bronfenbrenner, 1977). This layer incorporates changes in social demands throughout a person's life trajectory (Guy-Evans, 2020). The way children navigate expected and unexpected transitions in their lives is influenced by the support they receive from their ecological systems (Rosa & Tudge, 2013). For this study, the chronosystem may encompass aspects such as the status and frequency of social network use over the past decade, shifts and trends in religious activities, or developmental milestones, such as the transition from junior to senior high school. Lewis (2013) noted that as social media becomes increasingly prevalent in everyday life, its impact on religious practices has also evolved. Additionally, age progression plays a significant role; as teenagers’ transition from childhood to adolescence, they encounter new opportunities and challenges related to religion and social media practices.

Ecological Systems Theory has been applied in various fields, particularly in health and psychology, especially regarding child development (Esolage, 2014; Vandaveer & Kavanagh, 2016; Matinello, 2020). For instance, Walker et al. (2019) utilized an Ecological Systems Theory approach to analyze risk factors associated with overweight and obesity among disabled children. Their research focused on the multiple layers within an ecological system that may negatively impact children with special needs in terms of weight management and obesity. They identified that microsystems, such as school, family, and recreational activities, influence health outcomes related to physical activity and dietary choices. Additionally, the second layer, known as the exosystem, can include factors like family dynamics and parents’ working hours, which may contribute to weight gain due to limited access to healthy nutrition. The study also highlighted the macrosystem, noting that cultural attitudes toward children with disabilities can complicate their access to healthcare (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 language 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 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 self-discipline, and failure to offer self-impetus (Addison, 1992).

Supporters of SLT framework say that the theory provides for understanding of a great variety of behaviors, ranging from aggression to prosocial behaviors. It is focused on the functions of cognition, particularly attention and motivation, to give a broad understanding of how individuals learn by observation and emulation. Nonetheless, the primary disadvantage connected with the use of SLT is its overemphasis on the external factor and social emulation. This is unadvisable since critics have severely criticized the theory for the capacity to underestimate the significance of inner motives or intrinsic goal. The theory also postulates that shifts in the environment are going to mean shifts in the person, which might not be the correct proposition in some cases (Galanaki & Malafantis, 2022). For instance, it may not capture why some people do not follow observed behaviors even when such actions are perceived to be positive or rewarding. From a biblical perspective, SLT and the Bible directs individuals on the need for role models as well as their influence in influencing behavior. Ephesians 5:2 (NIV) says: “Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” As the Bible recognizes the strength of tradition and the possibilities of both a constructive as well as a destructive nature, so does the SLT framework.

In the context of current research, SLT is used to understand how teenagers learn religious behaviors and attitudes through the content they consume on social media. It reveals both the affirmative and negative impacts of social media use on their religious conduct, depending on whether the observed content or behavior is positive or negative.

Observational learning is the main component of SLT (Rumjaun & Narod, 2020). This process, known as modeling, allows individuals to learn new behaviors simply by watching others. The individuals being observed are referred to as models (Oshineye, 2023). Children encounter many modeling agents in society, including parents, characters in children’s television programs, peers at school, and teachers. These models provide examples of behavior to observe and emulate, such as gender roles and social behaviors (Bandura, 1969).

Children encode behaviors from these models and may replicate them, regardless of whether the behaviors are considered 'gender appropriate.' Several processes increase the likelihood that children will imitate behaviors deemed appropriate for their gender (Abdullah & Ahmed, 2022). According to Bowman, Osueke, and Baires (2021), the environmental Christian faith sharing through social media affect their belief systems and beliefs more than societal pressures to behave in the same manner. This shows that Christians can significantly impact those who encounter their posts which may prompt them to further their efforts to spread the message to others.

Today, social media significantly enhances the effectiveness of behavioral modeling. It provides various accounts of how religion can be practiced in everyday life through prayer, Bible reading, and participation in online forums about religion. Teenagers are influenced by the content they consume on social networks, shaping their beliefs about what is considered religious and how they can express these beliefs.

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

Attention

A prerequisite for observational learning is the attention that an individual must devote to the model. The level of attention is influenced by various characteristics of the model, such as attractiveness, competence, and similarity to the observer (McLeod, 2011). These attentional processes are critical; merely observing a model does not guarantee that observers will focus on the model and the behavior being demonstrated. First, the model must engage the observer’s attention; second, the observer must judge the model’s actions as suitable for emulation. This judgment determines whether the behavior will be imitated. Specifically, the behavior must be observed, and the consequences of the behavior must lead to the formation of a psychological concept of that behavior. In other words, for a behavior to be imitated, it must capture the observer's conscious attention.

Retention

Once the behavior is observed, the information must be stored in memory for later retrieval. This involves transforming the observed behavior into a mental representation that can be recalled (Rumjaun & Narod, 2020). Bandura emphasized the importance of the retention process in imitation, where the imitated behavior is symbolically encoded. This encoding allows observers to organize behaviors into prototypes that can be easily retained (Bandura, 1969). However, if the behavior is not registered consciously, it hinders the likelihood of emulation, despite reducing the distinctiveness of the behavior. It is crucial that the memory of the behavior undergoes encoding to facilitate later performance by the observer (McLeod, 2011). Since much of social learning is not immediate, this retention process is particularly important. If a behavior is to be imitated, the observer must have a memory reference for that behavior after witnessing it (Bandura, 1969).

Reproduction

Reproduction refers to the capacity to replicate the behavior displayed by the model. The individual must be both physically and mentally able to mimic the observed behavior (Firmansyah & Saepuloh, 2022). This final stage is where the mental representation is put into practice, resulting in actual behavior. Although many individuals wish to replicate certain behaviors, this is not always feasible (McLeod, 2011). Self-generated verbal mediation can be constrained by physical capabilities, meaning that an individual may be unable to display a desired behavior, even if they can conceptualize it (Bandura, 1969). This limitation affects the decision to attempt to emulate the behavior. Teenagers often follow relatives, friends, classmates, celebrities, clerics, and social media influencers, observing how these individuals practice their faith and interact with others. Through imitation, teenagers learn specific religious practices, discuss religion, or even question their beliefs.

Motivation

The final step involves the individual's motivation to perform the behavior, influenced by the prevailing circumstances. Reinforcement and motivational processes entail perceived stimuli that can either positively or negatively impact the likelihood of identifying with the model. Motivation depends on expected reinforcing stimuli, including observed consequences for the model and personal reinforcers. The observer will consider the potential consequences of a behavior (McLeod, 2011). If the perceived rewards outweigh the perceived costs, the observer is more likely to model the behavior. Conversely, if the vicarious reinforcement is not significant, the observer may refrain from emulating the behavior (Abdullah & Ahmed, 2022). On social media platforms, behaviors are often reinforced through likes, comments, shares, and followers.

Social media algorithms are designed to promote content that aligns with users' interests. These algorithms analyze a multitude of data points, including past interactions, likes, shares,

comments, and search history (Brady, 2023). Through this analysis, the algorithm builds a

comprehensive profile of each user, dictating the content displayed in their feed and prioritizing

posts that match their established interests (Smith, Leonis, & Anandavalli, 2021). Consequently,

while the algorithm aims to enhance user engagement by focusing on appealing content, it can

also create an echo chamber—an environment where individuals are exposed only to information

or opinions that reinforce their existing biases (BBC, 2024). For example, if a teenager search

for topics related to mental health, such as depression or suicide, the algorithm may direct them

to similar content. This can lead to a skewed perception that those around them are similarly

struggling, which can negatively impact their mental health (Katella, 2024).

Additionally, social media has unfortunately provided fertile ground for the pervasive issue of cyberbullying (Cao et al., 2020). Cyberbullying, defined as using electronic communication to harass, intimidate, or embarrass a victim, thrives on the very features that characterize social media platforms. Unlike traditional bullying, which occurs in a confined physical space, cyberbullying can spread instantaneously and reach a vast audience. Negative comments, rumors, or personal attacks can be widely disseminated with a few clicks, causing significant distress to the victim (Cao et al., 2020). The constant connectivity offered by social media exacerbates the impact of cyberbullying on mental health (Alim, 2016), as victims cannot easily escape the harassment that infiltrates both their online and potentially offline lives. Teenagers, who are particularly vulnerable to peer pressure and social acceptance, can be profoundly affected by the negativity and cruelty encountered online. Thus, social media has transformed cyberbullying from a localized issue into a pervasive threat to mental well-being. The same features that promote connection and communication can be weaponized to inflict harm, leading to low self-esteem, feelings of hopelessness, and even suicidal ideation.

Despite these negative impacts, social media can also have positive effects on mental health, such as providing social support and opportunities for self-expression. According to the Office of the Surgeon General (2023), social media can create supportive communities that foster identity and interests. It can also facilitate the sharing of important information and personal experiences (Bekalu, McCloud, & Viswanath, 2020). Youth can develop friendships and social relationships online, which may offer positive influences and greater diversity in peer interactions compared to offline relationships (Beyens et al., 2020). These connections can provide significant social support, contributing positively to youths’ mental health.

On the positive side, social media provides users with channels to connect and communicate (Bohn, 2021). It offers teenagers spaces where they can find others with similar hobbies and interests, allowing for self-expression that is crucial for personal identity development (Allen et al., 2014). Social media facilitates direct and intuitive communication across distances (Naslund et al., 2020). Unlike traditional communication models, which are limited by time and geography, these platforms serve as organic tools for overcoming spatial barriers (Bohn, 2021). Friends and family who may have relocated can easily stay in touch, fostering a sense of togetherness and community (Bekalu et al., 2020).

Moreover, social media allows teenagers to reach beyond their immediate social circles (Boyd, 2008). Engaging with public interests can lead to new friendships, as teens from different parts of the world connect over shared passions (Manjunatha, 2013). This global connectivity enables them to embrace change and explore diverse perspectives, making the world feel like a global village.

For many young people, online communication offers a sense of anonymity and reduced risk compared to face-to-face interactions (Naslund et al., 2020). The pressure to conform to societal expectations can be daunting, especially for introverted individuals or those experiencing social anxiety (Bohn, 2021). Social media allows teenagers to engage in conversations and express themselves without the immediate judgment they might face in person. This choice enables them to curate their online personas and mitigate anxiety related to appearance or social awkwardness (Bekalu et al., 2020).

Additionally, social media can provide solace for teenagers who struggle with mental health issues or lack real-life friendships. Online forums for adolescents dealing with conditions like depression or anxiety offer a sense of inclusion and empathy that they may not find in their everyday lives (Smit et al., 2021). These platforms create a space for open dialogue, facilitating deeper connections with peers who understand their experiences (Veselsk et al., 2023). This support network is crucial for their mental and emotional health, addressing feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Social media enhances teenagers’ exposure to diverse perspectives, fostering compassion and cultural sensitivity (Spies Shapiro & Margolin, 2014). Platforms like Instagram, X, and TikTok allow users to glimpse the lives, thoughts, and emotions of individuals from around the world. This exposure can cultivate openness to diversity, as highlighted by a study indicating that 46% of teenagers who use social media believe it helps them understand those who are different from themselves (Purboningsih et al., 2023). By following influencers, activists, and peers from various cultures, teenagers gain valuable insights into different ways of interacting with the world.

Nonetheless, social media is transforming the way teenagers communicate, particularly affecting face-to-face interactions (Bekalu, McCloud & Viswanath, 2020). With the convenience and privacy of messaging applications and social networks, many adolescents now prefer digital contact over in-person communication. This shift can create challenges for spontaneous face-to-face interactions, especially for those accustomed to the abbreviations and emoticons prevalent in online communication (Manjunatha, 2013). Consequently, this may hinder their ability to practice verbal and non-verbal communication skills learned in class, as they begin to lose proficiency in interpreting body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice.

Face-to-face communication is essential for developing crucial social skills such as empathy, conflict resolution, and teamwork. Chasombat (2014) argues that the fleeting nature of many online interactions, which often prioritize identity projection, limits opportunities for meaningful skill development. While social media increases the chances of interaction, these opportunities are frequently brief and shallow. As noted by Bekalu, McCloud, and Viswanath (2020), engaging in hashtag wars rewards quick reactions and superficial engagement, fostering an environment that undermines essential social skills like empathy and active listening. Moreover, the anonymity of online interactions can encourage negative behaviors, such as bullying and harassment, further complicating social skill development.

While social media platforms can help youths build relationships, they cannot replace the depth of tangible, in-person interactions (Manjunatha, 2013). Real-life dynamics involve shared time, experiences, and physical presence—elements that cannot be fully replicated online. Despite the positive aspects of social media, it can lead to social isolation and unrealistic expectations of relationships. Users often present an idealized version of themselves online, which can create false expectations and disappointment in real-life interactions (Bohn, 2021). The ease of connecting with others online may result in less investment in managing real-life relationships, as social media interactions often lack the pressure and effort required for meaningful connections (Allen et al., 2014).

Additionally, the addictive nature of social media can negatively impact social life. The constant pressure to check notifications, respond to messages, and stay engaged online can lead to excessive screen time, displacing real-life interactions and activities (Bohn, 2021). According to Richardson (2015), teenagers often feel compelled to be available online around the clock, and the anxiety stemming from delayed responses can further alienate them from the offline world. This detachment can lead to feelings of loneliness and social anxiety, intensifying their reliance on online validation and connections, which perpetuates the cycle of addiction.

Furthermore, online interactions can 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 a sense of 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, which is 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—that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth." Many teenagers find themselves at a crossroads with their parents due to pervasive social media use, which can conflict with this foundational commandment.

Social media can expose teenagers to diverse religious views and communities. Previously, teenagers lacked the open door to practicing religious activities online (Campbell, 2006). When interacting online, teenagers should be guided by the principles of Matthew 25:14-30 (NIV) and use social media in ways that align with their faith values, spreading messages of hope, kindness, and their faith. Social media serves as a powerful tool to help faith communities connect online with others who share similar beliefs (Bakar et al., 2022). In contemporary society, Becker (2021) points out that virtual religious groups enable members to connect, interacting in ways that build, maintain, and deepen their faith while providing support and guidance in matters of morality and emotion (Van Bavel et al., 2023). Teenagers can engage in debates, share their experiences, and seek advice from peers and community members. Additionally, social media enhances interactions with religious authorities and other members of their faith, even when geographically distant from others of their kind.

Participation in online religious groups greatly aids teenagers in their spiritual development. They can be part of discussion forums that address various religious topics, listen to sermons, read religious literature, and engage with content that enhances their understanding and faith (Johnson, 2023). For instance, through platforms like YouTube and Facebook, young people can witness religious activities, such as services and other related events, from the comfort of their homes via live streaming (Bakar et al., 2022). This accessibility allows teenagers to adhere to their religious beliefs and continue their spiritual journey despite physical barriers. Furthermore, integration with others who provide encouragement for these beliefs can help modify desirable behavior and enhance moral character.

In addition to addressing genuine religious needs, these virtual communities also fulfill emotional and psychological growth. During individual or societal struggles, these groups offer solace and direction on what to look forward to and actions to take next (Koburtay et al., 2023). For example, due to limitations during the COVID-19 outbreak, many adolescents sought spiritual and counseling support through social media platforms and the Internet. The ability to pray together, share personal experiences, and receive words of comfort can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness and anxiety. This aligns with the biblical principle of bearing one another’s burdens, encouraging teenagers to have a supportive environment during their formative years.

Another positive aspect of social media is the availability of religious content, allowing teenagers to interact with their faith daily. Various platforms offer countless teachings, sermons, and discussions that teenagers can access at any time. As noted by Evolvi (2021), youth today participate in religious groups and spirituality by connecting with leaders and individuals from different geographical regions to enhance their spiritual journey. Online platforms such as YouTube and Facebook host live-streamed services and recorded sermons from churches worldwide, enabling teenagers to engage in worship and religious education from home.

Social media also allows young people to receive religious content, deepening their understanding of their faith. They can explore different perspectives on religious texts and use this knowledge for spiritual growth (Kraner, 2023). For instance, teenagers can access expert religious accounts, engage with communities that share theological content, and watch videos that simplify complex doctrines. This pursuit of knowledge is essential for developing a well-rounded character.

Advancements in understanding religious beliefs, norms, and values through social media encourage teenagers to actively engage in religious debates and groups, fostering a sense of belonging. Within these online communities, teenagers can freely explore, ask questions, and seek advice from friends or experienced users. This interactive nature of social media can strengthen their religious identities and motivate regular practice of their faith, as highlighted by Kraner (2023). Engaging with online communities provides the support necessary for effective faith practice.

Moreover, social media creates opportunities for interreligious dialogue, allowing individuals from various faith backgrounds such as Jewish, Christian, and Muslim to discuss and develop mutual tolerance. These online forums facilitate interactions that embrace concepts of compassion and understanding. Marshall (2021) notes that youth engagement across diverse cultures and religious beliefs promotes societal tolerance. Additionally, platforms like X and Instagram encourage interfaith discussions where teenagers can express their beliefs, learn about others’ practices, and foster understanding, thus eradicating prejudices.

In a study by Schafer (2018), it is argued that young Christians and those from other denominations should leverage social networks to connect with peers of differing beliefs and discuss religious topics, enriching their knowledge and understanding of their faith and its boundaries. Participating in these discussions helps dispel myths and stereotypes (Marshall, 2021), establishes a respectful community, and enhances their religious commitment. This engagement ultimately improves their cultural understanding and ability to interact with others, which is crucial in an increasingly globalized society.

However, the use of social media also presents challenges, particularly regarding the prevalence of misinformation (Merino, 2013). As teenagers spend more time online, they may encounter misleading religious content that can distort their understanding of faith (Clark, 2005). For instance, some may abandon their religious practices based on misinterpretations of texts or the influence of controversial views. Zaman (2023) emphasizes that such corrupting influences disrupt foundational beliefs established through family and community connections, leading to a flawed understanding of faith.

Unfortunately, social media platforms often propagate unfounded beliefs, as they lack rigorous content checks (Dice, 2017). Pop-culture icons and unqualified individuals can mislead young followers by presenting themselves as authorities on religious matters (Zheng, 2013). According to a study by Louis and Mohamed (2024), 60% of teenagers encounter religious content on social media, but much of it remains unfiltered. This exposure can lead to the adoption of unrealistic beliefs, as some authors may promote extreme interpretations or completely fabricated religious ideas. According to Dhiman (2023) such misinformation not only confuses youth but also fosters misunderstandings among individuals, and in the context of this study, such people are those with the same faith.

By connecting with friends, teenagers are introduced to various religious ideas, leading to anxiety and uncertainty regarding their beliefs (Cheadle & Schwadel, 2012). Online forums are rife with discussions where individuals of differing faiths present their views, sometimes leading to heated debates (Shamim, 2024). For teenagers who are searching for affirmation in their beliefs, this exposure can be disorienting and destabilizing. This research indicates that teens frequently encounter conflicting religious materials online, complicating their spiritual journeys. This environmental pressure of having all these counter messages and attitudes has caused them to experience confusion thus raising questions about their faith (Ives et al., 2023).

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 themselves 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 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 the use of social media also permits stereotyped and even fake religiosity with little to no connection to one’s personality (Chetty & Alathur, 2018). Teenagers are the most vulnerable in this regard since they are social beings who spend much of their time on social media platforms where religion enjoys a bite-size media diet in the 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 the high usage of social networking sites in getting religious education has detrimental effects such that young people will not have a deeper understanding of religious principles and values but rather a surface understanding of them (Bowman, 2020; Mąkosa, 2022).

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 (Ratzinger, 2009). 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 (Goldfarb, 2021). 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 about 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 (King, 2019). It is evident that religion precedes virtually all social platforms with different religious beliefs and practices appealing neatly packaged and persuasive (Díez Bosch et al., 2017). 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.”

Impact of Social Media on Adolescents’ social connectedness and mental health wellbeing

A study by Allen et al., (2014) critically reviewed the literature related to whether the rising use of social media among adolescents affects social connectedness in terms of three elements of adolescent development: as concerns social inclusion, psychosocial adjustment, and identity. In this case, the authors posit that online tools pose a paradox concerning social relatedness. On the one hand, they amplify the possibility for people to bring into existence new and unique groups and communities where individuals can freely connect, but at the same time, they are a source of social exclusion and marginalization.

Similar to Allen et al.’s (2014) idea of social media that supports inclusion and positive well-being outcomes, Naslund et al. (2020) introduce the potential for social media to serve as a mental health intervention platform. An extensive study by Naslund et al. (2020) investigated the relationship between social media and mental health, considering the role of social media as a potentially viable intervention platform for offering support to persons with mental disorders, promoting engagement and retention in care, and enhancing existing mental health services, while balancing the need for safety.

Beyens et al. (2020) deepen the understanding of the paradoxical role of social media in adolescent development as shown by Allen et al. (2014) and focus on the variability in adolescents’ experiences of well-being due to social media. In their study, Beyens et al. (2020) were interested in the effects of social media use on adolescents’ positive/negative well-being. To operationalize these differences, the researchers collected adolescents’ momentary experience samples six times a day for one week. Because their results demonstrated that the relationship between social media use and affective well-being varies significantly between adolescents, they concluded that person-level effects cannot be omitted in future studies, as they cannot be in prevention and intervention programs.

Yang et al. (2023) complement Beyens et al.’s (2020) findings about variability in well-being effects. Yang et al. (2023) study showed the causal relationship between social media use and social anxiety in Chinese culture. The findings revealed that the level of social media user intensity should increase the level of social anxiety of social media users. Besides the direct relationship advocated, higher social media use would lead to higher upward social comparison and higher upward social comparison would in turn increase levels of social anxiety. In addition, upward social comparison brought about by social media use also has a negative impact on self-esteem which gives a boost to social anxiety.

On the contrary, Bekalu et al. (2020) extend the conversation to adult social media users, highlighting the positive outcomes and negative outcomes in terms of emotional connection. Bekalu et al. (2020) examined the experience of users’ emotional engagement with the help of social media usage. Focusing on American adults, the findings showed that while routine use is associated with positive health outcomes, emotional connection to social media use is associated with negative health outcomes: social well-being, positive mental health, and self-rated health. In addition, the findings indicated that the directions and magnitudes of the association of routine use and emotional appeal with health outcomes were moderated by the socioeconomic and racial/ethnic population subgroups.

In their study, Boursier et al. (2020) explain how social media is utilized in loneliness and anxiety situations especially in the case of adulthood and the COVID-19 outbreak as people were forced to face a distressing and unexpected situation. Thus, the researcher claims that during this period, people changed their behavior due to a lot of uncertainty and measures related to social distancing affecting feelings, daily practices, and interpersonal interactions as fundamental aspects of the human being. The researchers argue that distressing life circumstances may be managed, and other negative feelings reduced by use of the online environment although the environment may lead to negative outcomes such as anxiety when used to the extreme.

Impact of social media on interpersonal communication skills and relationships

Chasombat (2014) explored Facebook specifically and its effect on interpersonal communication skills and relationships. As highlighted in the research, Facebook offers positive and negative aspects to the users where it virtually connects people but isolates them from their loved ones. There are always some thoughts and feelings that they like to convey over Facebook and through text messages but one must meet in person to discuss serious and personal issues. From this study, it emerges that users of Facebook probably have done so without knowing that Facebook is almost a part of their lives but shutting it off is essential at times to embrace other people to develop healthy interpersonal interactions. In a similar research, Katella (2024) emphasizes the vulnerability of teenagers’ brains during identity formation and how social media may impair self-regulation and emotional processing. Katella’s (2024) work focuses on the impact of social media on the process of identity formation in teenagers. In this study, the author underscores that the brain is in a very vulnerable state between 10 and 19 years when the identities and feelings of self-worth are established. What this means is that often social media users could be experiencing different and unique effects on the developing brain that could lead to some impairments in learning emotional information and behavior, as well as impulse control and self-regulation.

Impact of Social media on religion, religious identity, and Christian faith sharing

Bowman (2020) examined the impact of sharing faith on college students ‘thinking and behaviors through social networks. In this study, college students term the message content and delivery method in social media as informative and capable of changing their way of thinking and feeling. It also revealed that the Christian faith sharing through social media affects both the thought and emotional states of college students depending on the way, they perceive such posts. As to the changes in the students’ behaviors, the study has indicated that positive psychological and spiritual thoughts lead to positive interpersonal and spiritual behaviors; negative thoughts and emotions cause fewer interpersonal contacts but elicit either negative or positive behaviors; and thinking changes result in more behavioral changes than what the college students are aware of.

Similarly, Bowman et al. (2021) examined the effects of Christian faith sharing through social media: specifically looking at the change in the belief system and behaviors, as well as users’ preferences. Similarly, the researcher focused on how users of the Christian social media faith-sharing site approached faith sharing to determine whether they prefer any approach and whether any of the described methods are considered offensive. Out of these social media users who came across Christian faith sharing, the observed effect sizes these users experienced were slight to moderate concerning the shift in belief and behavioral changes due to that message. In addition, the respondents also mentioned that they preferred ways of faith sharing on social media posted by Christians than others, and the most preferred to encounter from others are straight and real-life testimonies of how God transformed the lives of other people. These findings prove that social media faith sharing touches the two belief models of people that come across it and that Christians prefer some methods of faith sharing to others.

Bakar et al. (2022) connect with Bowman (2020) and Bowman et al. (2021) studies whose findings suggest that positive religious engagement through social media can lead to positive spiritual and behavioral outcomes. Bakar et al. (2022) research was aimed at identifying the relationship between social media and religiosity with sexual misconduct behaviors among adolescents. The researcher sought data from secondary school students from the northern zone of Peninsular Malaysia. Consequently, the study revealed that the level of social media usage by secondary school students is high, the larger proportion of them spend more than 5 hours in social media. The study also revealed that social media does not relate to sexual misconduct, however, there is an inverse relationship between religiosity and sexual misconduct. The study inferred that users of social media could engage in riskier sexual behaviors since their large peer network determines their attitudes and norms.

Beckham (2023) complements studies by Bowman (2020) ; Bowman et al. (2021) , and Bakar et al. (2022) by revealing that protective factors in the digital space can buffer against faith decline. According to his phenomenological study, Beckham (2023) the role of social media in faith was revealed, as well as the positive and negative effects it may have on a person. It depicted the increasing nature of social networks making young adults research opinions and feeds on several platforms. The researcher thereby opined that social media does affect either the faith growth or spiritual formation of a young adult. The influences identified that social media has a negative effect leading to a pull from their childhood faith beliefs. It also uncovered that social media can indirectly improve young people’s faith if protective factors are present.

In a similar study, Evolvi (2021) illustrates how digital platforms transform religious experiences and create a “networked religion” where online and offline practices blur. Evolvi (2021) aimed to substantiate the statement that new conditions for religious experience, practice, and belief have appeared due to increasing the mediation of religion on websites, social networks, applications, and digital devices. To corroborate this argument of networked religion, the authors use examples, where religious figures like the Dalai Lama and the Pope opened social network accounts, while smartphones developed applications for reading scriptures, prayers, and confessions that led to the formation of a digital religion where the distinction between online and offline does not exist.

Evolvi’s (2024) findings connect to Shamim (2024) , who highlights social media's role in shaping attitudes of religious tolerance or intolerance. Shamim (2024) analyzed how social media influences the religious identity of youth. The study aimed to examine the relationship patterns between social media usage and any potential or existing attitudes of religious tolerance or intolerance. It was also based on prior research on attitudes and stereotype change through research on the Muslim-Hindu interaction in Nepal, where a cross-sectional design was used to compare. It was thus possible to establish a statistically significant positive relationship between the frequency of using Facebook and YouTube, as well as the attitude towards religious intolerance.

The Gap

The research gap that will be filled by this study is a dearth of research on how social media influences religious practices, religious orientation, and relation to religious groups among teenagers within a church setting. Using a mixed-method approach, this study will shed light on the complex interplay between technology and faith in teenager’s lives. The study will be carried out from a biblical-theological perspective, where it will systematically deal with biblical and theological themes such as discipleship, religion as a personal journey, Christian identity rooted in Christ, and modern Christianity in the digital age. These themes will be addressed through the lens of Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Social Learning Theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Bandura, 1969) to understand how today’s technology through social media influences religious practices, values, and the strength of community among church-going teenagers. The overall goal of addressing this research gap is to contribute to existing studies on how technology can be used to support spiritual growth among the youth. The finding of the study will also contribute to existing knowledge on how parents, educators, and church leaders can better guide youth in using social media responsibly and in ways that support their spiritual growth and community connections.

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 a lack of study on how social media affects teenager’s religious behavior.

The current study seeks to examine the impact of social media on the religious behavior of church-going teenagers in 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 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 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 of the environment in which they exist. Cognitive processes, reinforcement, and self-efficacy are considered 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 impacts shaping 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.

Introduction

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to examine the impact of social media on the religious behavior of church-going teenagers in 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. To achieve this objective, the following chapter describes in detail the methods and approaches used to implement the research. This section therefore describes the type of research used, how the data was collected, how samples were selected and how data collected was analyzed to answer the research questions. The chapter is intended to help readers gain an appreciation of how the study was carried out as well the reasons for specific methodological decisions that were made.

Quantitative data will be gathered through survey questionnaires comprising closed ended questions. These questions will measure social media usage patterns, mental health effects,

social behavior, and religious behavior among teenagers. A pilot test will be conducted with a

small group of participants to ensure the survey’s clarity and comprehensiveness.

The surveys will be administered online via Google Forms, allowing for anonymous responses.

Descriptive statistics will be analyzed using Excel software, with results presented as

frequencies, percentages, and averages.

In addition to the quantitative surveys, qualitative data will be collected through semi-structured interviews with a select group of survey participants. This qualitative component will provide deeper insights into their experiences and perceptions regarding the impact of social media on mental health and social behavior. Thematic analysis will be used to identify and interpret key themes within the qualitative data. Conversely, qualitative data will be gathered through focus group discussions, and analyzed using thematic analysis. According to Stewart and Shamdasani (2014), a focus group is defined 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 regarding social media and its impact on

their lives, particularly within church youth groups. Discussions will be recorded with

participants' permission for later transcription. Focus group sessions will occur over three

months, providing sufficient scheduling flexibility to accommodate participants and ensuring

thorough data collection. This extended duration allows for ongoing reflection and analysis,

enabling the researcher to refine questions and explore emerging themes in subsequent sessions.

The research will employ qualitative data analysis software (NVivo) to organize, code, and

analyze the transcribed data.

Teenagers today are immersed in a digital world dominated by social media. According to a Pew Research Center study, teenagers aged 13 to 17 years are the largest users of social media, with 67% using TikTok, 62% using Instagram, 59% using Snapchat, 32% using Facebook, and 95% using YouTube, among others (Vogels, Gelles-Watnick, & Massarat, 2022). Research indicates that the teenage years are critical for intellectual growth, identity formation, and self-worth (Katella, 2024). However, these platforms present challenges to 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 a lack of studies addressing how social media affect teenagers’ religious behavior.

From a theological perspective, many religions view the world, including technology, as God's creation. This raises the question of how teenagers in today’s digitally invested space can use this creation responsibly and positively while avoiding its pitfalls. Spiritual growth and discipleship require intentional practices such as prayer, scripture reading, and communal worship. The pervasive presence of social media may distract teenagers from these spiritual disciplines, consuming time and attention that could nurture their faith. Theologically, this prompts concerns about how digital engagement might hinder spiritual formation and the development of a robust, mature faith. This study aims to fill this gap and build upon existing research on the impact of social media on teenagers' mental well-being and social behavior.

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

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: How can parents, educators, and religious leaders effectively guide churchgoing teenagers toward navigating and consuming values-aligned content on social media?

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, the 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. To separate the population into church going teenagers, the easiest way will be to carry out the study in church settings. The selection of this age range and setting 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.

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 several patients who stand a high chance of offering the needed information in the study. The data will be collected using a sample of 397 participants calculated using Taro Yamane’s statistical formula n = N/ 1+ N(e)2 where:

n = The required sample size from the population.

N = The whole population (in this case the population is 60,837)

e = The sampling or margin of error 0.05

Therefore:

n = 60,837/ 1+ 60,837 (0.05)2

n =60,837/ 1+ 60,837(0.0025)

n =60,837/ 1+ 152.0925

n =60,837/ 153.0925

n= 397

However, the above sample size will be modified to fit specific resources available according to the study’s limitations or resources available.

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.

To develop the survey, the researcher will utilize a 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 questions 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 the length of the question and the 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 the 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 5 items 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 survey statements developed are informed by the results expected by the researcher including things like attitudes towards online learning. 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 skew 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).

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.

The first thing the researcher will ensure the reliability of the survey is through a pilot test of around 30 people. A pilot test will be conducted to test 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.

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 settings, 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).

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. However, compensation for people willing to take the survey is encouraged because most people do not participate in surveys voluntarily (Roberts & Allen, 2015). The compensation will however create ethical dilemmas specifically with regard to coercion or pressure in extorting results. This means that incentives must be created in a way 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 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 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 the 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 incorrect information. When working with survey methods, researchers must produce comprehensible questionnaires, and prevent such technical troubles as servers being overloaded, or a large number of participants coming simultaneously, etc (Roberts & Allen, 2015). If it is necessary to identify participants, scholars must develop special measures for the verification of participants. To find church-going teenagers, the study will be carried out in churches. However, researchers are required to provide information regarding the 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.

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.

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.

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 it will be easier to get or access the target population and obtain the relevant data about the influence of social media on their religious behavior. 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 will be recruited from the church youth, specifically targeting those aged 13 to 17 years and those who 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 hits the 10-12 mark; the researcher is usually sated from experience from theoretical saturations (Breen, 2006).

In focus group discussion, the researcher plays the role of 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 can 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 well-being and create a space where they feel safe to express discomfort or need breaks if necessary.

The qualitative data will be collected through focus groups with church youth, particularly those between the ages of 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 manual data will mainly be a backup to provide additional details.

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 for their participation. As White (2013) remarks, consent is backed up by the accompanying principle of respect for persons, signifying, that one must never treat the other merely to an end. As such, the researcher will ensure participants’ wishes 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 in 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, problems in existing relationships with friends, family, and other relativity, disadvantageous consequences at the place of work, and legal consequences for exposures sometimes that leads to legal implications (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

To analyze the focus group data, a 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 the 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. To familiarize myself with the interview data, I will transcribe the recording verbatim. I will then read and re-read the written content so to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the participants' responses.

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 analyzes the qualitative data. It encompasses the identification of portions in the data that 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, including interesting features, preventing the coding process from attempting to bring in too much order. To implement this stage, I will tabulate the written content and lists all interesting codes from the content. I will highlight all interesting words, sentences or paragraphs to form codes.

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 some maps like mind maps or thematic maps for use in determining/identifying the relations between the codes and themes. To implement this stage, I will generate or come up with themes based on the codes identified. I can use codes as themes or combine several themes to come up with an interesting theme.

4. Reviewing themes: This entails a process of sieving the themes that were generated in the previous step to ensure 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. In this stage, I will refine the themes generated to ensure they are relevant to the study objective and research questions.

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, and the unique features of the theme (Terry et al., 2017). The identification of those names 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. In this step, I will provide a detailed description of the finalized themes before analyzing the data that helped in forming the 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 an 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.

In qualitative studies, trustworthiness refers to the overall confidence one can have in the truthfulness and credibility of the research findings (Ahmed, 2024). To ensure trustworthiness in this study, the researcher will maintain a detailed records of the selection criteria of participants, data collection procedures, and any coding or analysis techniques used throughout the research. 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 have 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).

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 researcher will emphasis on showcasing how the findings express the participants’ experiences and views. Only the opinions from the participants will be analyzed. This will be achieved by triangulating the quantitative data in order to establish an agreement or addition of findings from one another.

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

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.

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 the 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.

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. A mixed method approach 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 a 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, whereas tables and graphs will be used to visualize the findings. Qualitative data obtained through focus groups with church youth will be analyzed using the thematic analysis method.

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