Study title

Young Adults' Experiences of Limiting their Social Media Use 2021

Dataset ID Number

FSD3726

Persistent identifier

urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3726

Data Type

Qualitative

Authors

• Castrén, Sari (University of Helsinki)
• Hylkiä, Krista (University of Oulu)
• Peltonen, Aino (University of Oulu)
• Karhulahti, Veli-Matti (University of Jyväskylä)

Abstract

The dataset consists of interviews with young adults on their experiences of voluntarily limiting their social media use.

The interviews were divided into four sections. The first questions were related to the identification and initial stages of the interviewees' problematic social media use. The interviewees were asked to describe, among other things, at what point they started to consider their use of social media as problematic. The question also investigated how the interviewees had initially tried to manage their social media use and how they had sought help for the issue. The second set of questions explored whether the interviewees had experienced similar problems in the past and whether they had witnessed similar problems in their immediate circle or elsewhere. The third set of questions focused on what the interviewees thought had led to their problematic use of social media. The interviewees were also asked to reflect on whether there was anything specific in their own life at the time the issue started that could help to explain the development of the issue. Additional questions were asked about the treatment and support the interviewees had received, and how the problem was perceived by those close to the interviewees. The final set of questions charted the impact that problematic social media use had on the interviewees' lives, on their self-perception and on how they are perceived by others. The interview framework used was based on the McGill Illness Narrative Interview (MINI) interview protocol.

Background information included the interviewee's gender, age group, and economic activity. The data were organised into an easy to use HTML version at FSD.

The dataset is available only in Finnish.

Keywords

addiction; internet addiction; mobile phones; smartphones; social interaction; social media

Topic Classification

• Social sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Medical and health sciences (Fields of Science Classification)
• Information society (CESSDA Topic Classification)
• Social behaviour and attitudes (CESSDA Topic Classification)

Series

Individual datasets

Distributor

Finnish Social Science Data Archive

Access

The dataset is (C) available only for research including master's theses.

Data Collector

• Castrén, Sara (University of Helsinki)
• Hylkiä, Krista (University of Oulu)
• Karhulahti, Veli-Matti (University of Jyväskylä)

Funders

• Academy of Finland (312397)

Collection Dates

2021-06 – 2021-11

Nation

Finland

Geographical Coverage

Finland

Analysis/Observation Unit Type

Individual

Universe

People aged 18-36 residing in Finland who have limited their own social media use due to perceived harm

Time Method

Cross-section

Sampling Procedure

Non-probability: Availability

Groups that potentially met the inclusion criteria were approached by an invitation to participate in the study.

Collection Mode

Face-to-face interview

Web-based interview

Research Instrument

Interview scheme and/or themes

Data Files

11 interviews in ODT file format. Additionally, the data were organised into an easy to use HTML version and a CSV version.

Data File Language

The data files of this dataset are available in the following languages: Finnish.

Qualitative data are available in their original language only and are not translated.

Data Version

1.0

Completeness of Data and Restrictions

The researcher has anonymised the data by removing direct identifiers (e.g. names) and several indirect identifiers (e.g. places of residence, fields of study, occupational information, locations of exchange study, municipalities of origin). The variable concerning exact age was removed at FSD and categorised to match the age classification that was part of the background information provided by the researcher. Additionally, information concerning the participants' workplaces was anonymised further. Changes made at FSD are marked with [[double brackets]].

Citation Requirement

The data and its creators shall be cited in all publications and presentations for which the data have been used. The bibliographic citation may be in the form suggested by the archive or in the form required by the publication.

Bibliographical Citation

Castrén, Sari (University of Helsinki) & Hylkiä, Krista (University of Oulu) & Peltonen, Aino (University of Oulu) & Karhulahti, Veli-Matti (University of Jyväskylä): Young Adults' Experiences of Limiting their Social Media Use 2021 [dataset]. Version 1.0 (2023-03-17). Finnish Social Science Data Archive [distributor]. https://urn.fi/urn:nbn:fi:fsd:T-FSD3726

Deposit Requirement

Notify FSD of all publications where you have used the data by sending the citation information to user-services.fsd@tuni.fi.

Disclaimer

The original data creators and the archive bear no responsibility for any results or interpretations arising from the reuse of the data.

FSD has not been informed of any publications related to the data.