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An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Undergraduate Students’ Everyday Texting Experiences as they Relate to Social Connectedness

Tan, Yong-Seng Jonathan
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0006-3701
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1729510304321413

Abstract Details

2024, PHD, Kent State University, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration.
This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study aimed to investigate how undergraduate students’ everyday texting experiences related to their social connectedness. This research was conducted through a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews. The quantitative phase involved a survey distributed to a sample of undergraduate students, assessing their texting frequency, demographic variables (age, gender, race/ethnicity, and living arrangements), and levels of social connectedness using the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised (SCS-R; Lee et al., 2001). The subsequent qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with a subset of participants selected based on their survey responses to gain deeper insights into their texting behaviors and perceptions of social connectedness. The study’s findings indicated that while texting frequency significantly predicted social connectedness among undergraduate students, demographic variables do not show a substantial impact. Additionally, students’ perceptions of texting as a tool for maintaining social connections varied, with some viewing it as a convenient means of communication and others finding it insufficient for meaningful interaction. Key motivations for using texting included convenience, immediacy, and the non-intrusive nature of asynchronous communication (Liu et al., 2014; Hall et al., 2018). Texting was generally viewed as less effective than face-to-face interactions for developing deeper social ties (Derks et al., 2008; Uhls et al., 2014). This study contributed to the limited research on digital communication and social connectedness among undergraduate students by highlighting the significant role of texting frequency in predicting social connectedness (Ehrenreich et al., 2019; Harley et al., 2007). It also underscored the need for educational institutions to develop programs that leveraged texting to enhance peer connections while promoting the balanced use of digital and face-to-face interactions. The findings had practical implications for designing interventions that supported students’ social well-being in an increasingly digital world. The research indicated that texting played a crucial role in sustaining social connections among undergraduate students, particularly through consistent communication (Dorrance Hall et al., 2018). Nevertheless, the impact of texting varied based on the nature of the social interaction it fostered. While it served as a valuable tool for maintaining informal connections, its efficacy in nurturing deeper relationships was limited. When developing initiatives to bolster student engagement and well-being, educational institutions should have considered these elements, striving to strike a harmonious equilibrium between digital and face-to-face interactions to foster holistic social connectedness.
Enrico Gandolfi (Committee Chair)
Richard Ferdig (Committee Co-Chair)
Frank Ryan (Committee Member)
289 p.
Adult Education; Communication; Curricula; Curriculum Development; Education; Educational Technology; Instructional Design; Mass Media; Mental Health
cell phone; educational technology; listserv; media; mental health, mental well-being; mental wellness; reddit; smartphone; social connectedness; social media; text; texting; text messaging; messaging; undergraduate student

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Citations

  • Tan, Y.-S. J. (2024). An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Undergraduate Students’ Everyday Texting Experiences as they Relate to Social Connectedness [Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1729510304321413

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Tan, Yong-Seng. An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Undergraduate Students’ Everyday Texting Experiences as they Relate to Social Connectedness. 2024. Kent State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1729510304321413.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Tan, Yong-Seng. "An Explanatory Sequential Mixed-Methods Study to Understand Undergraduate Students’ Everyday Texting Experiences as they Relate to Social Connectedness." Doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, 2024. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1729510304321413

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

kent1729510304321413
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© 2024, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Kent State University and OhioLINK.
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