Social Media Usage and Socioeconomic Status as Predictors of Sexual Engagement

Moderating role of Peer Influence among young Adult Students

Abstract

Sexual engagement is a sexual activity by undergraduate young adult students, which could be motivated by social media, socioeconomic status, and peer influence and exposes them to sexual and reproductive health challenges. Earlier studies tried to link social media to sexual behaviour but failed to explore the moderating role of peer influence on the link between social media usage and sexual engagement through a primary data source, while current study attempts to address this gap. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised, and participants were undergraduate university students aged 16-28 years who frequently used social media platforms. Stratified random sampling technique was employed to select participants from different socioeconomic backgrounds through G-power analysis at a confidence level of 95%, and 304 participants were recruited. Positive association was observed between social media usage and sexual engagement, while negative interconnection exists between socioeconomic status and sexual engagement. Peer influence significantly related to sexual engagement. Social media usage and socioeconomic status jointly influenced sexual engagement by explaining 42% variation on sexual engagement. Significant disparity was revealed between high and low social media usage on sexual engagement, and no moderating effect was observed. Institutions and associations should engaged in comprehensive media-literacy and sex education programmes that will focus on risks, benefits and effects of social media usage and sexual engagement.