RESILIENCE VIEWED FROM SOCIAL MEDIA USE OF GEN Z

Abstract

Gen Z was born from 1995 to 2010, and this generation is firmly attached to digital technology, particularly social media. The paper is based on determining how the use of social media influences the resilience of Gen Z, considering four internal factors: spirituality, self-efficacy, optimism, and self-esteem, and an external factor which represents social support. In this, a quantitative comparative method was used with a total sample of 205 from Gen Z, aged between 15 and 27 years. The resilience level was measured using the CD-RISC scale, and social media use was measured by self-reporting the duration. From ANOVA, it could be observed that there is no significant difference in the levels of resilience concerning the duration of use of social media. Therefore, answering even with long exposure to social media, internal and external factors take important roles in maintaining resilience. These findings intimate that these elements should be strengthened to promote mental and emotional wellbeing among Generation Z within a technological saturated context.