Research on Online Friendship, Social Media, and Adolescents

This report investigates the quality of online friendships and their relationship with social media disorder among adolescents. The research, conducted through questionnaires administered to 2198 Dutch adolescents, explores three types of friendships: offline-to-online, purely online, and online-to-offline. The study aims to measure the quality of these friendships and assess the potential link between online friendships and social media disorder using the Social Media Disorder Scale. The research design is qualitative, relying on survey data to analyze friendship patterns and their implications. The report highlights the importance of understanding how social networking sites, such as Facebook, have reshaped interactions and the significance of distinguishing between different types of friendships in this context, referencing key research on online friendship components like self-disclosure and companionship.

Honours Project Proposal Student Name……………………………………………………………………………………
Title: THE QUALITY OF ONLINE FRIENDSHIP AND SOCIAL MEDIA DISORDER
Research Question/ Hypothesis:
The aim of this research is to measure the Quality of Friendship on Social Network Sites in relation to social
media disorder.
This will be examined by providing questionnaire to adolescents to know about three types friendships
(offline to online, only online based friendship, and online to offline) and the research questionnaire will
provide results in the fields of adolescent's friendship on social network sites. This is vital, because research
will show quality of friendship young people experience during adolescence. However, a previous
investigation made a limited differences between online and offline friendship. Also, that previous research
suggested dividing mix friendships by asking young people whether they first met online or offline.
Additionally, the possible link between online friendship and social media disorder will also be examined by
using Social Media Disorder Scale. This will allow researching about effect of internet on the link between
friendship on social sites and social media disorder.
Participants: Recruitment/N
Survey will be done among 2198 Dutch adolescents, who will recruited through Marketing Science Institute,
i.e. an international market research company located in Netherlands. Further, the participants will be
teenagers (age 10 to 17 years).
Ethics form progress:
Design:
Research design refers to a set of methods that are used in gathering information, analysing it
and then measuring of variables is done. The research will be based on qualitative approach
which will be done through surveys.
Analysis: there are basically two types of data analysis, one is qualitative and second is quantitative. In
qualitative research investigator make use of various sources to collect information such as interviews, focus
groups and questionnaires. It involves finding similar patterns and further analysing them in order to attain
research aims & objectives.
On the other hand, quantitative analysis, involves research on the basis of figures and numbers. Also,

Honours Project Proposal Student Name……………………………………………………………………………………
comparison of primary based research findings to the literature review is very important in both studies. This
research paper is based on qualitative data as questionnaires will be provided to teenagers to know about the
quality of friendship they experience.
Key References: Provide a brief summary of each (topic area) of at least 4 references.
Social networking sites such as Facebook, has significantly changed people way of interaction. It has been
observed that these sites are used both to keep in touch with current friends and make new friends. Through
research, there were sic components of online friendship were identified; self disclosure, companionship,
validation, instrumental support, conflict & conflict resolution. Additionally, with the growth of mobile
technology it has been observed that this exercise is becoming adequate (Perloff, 2014). There are 3 types of
friendship recognised are; one is offline to online, second is only online and third is online to offline.
;