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Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science

ISSN Online: 2576-0548 ISSN Print: 2576-0556 CODEN: JHASAY
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ArticleOpen Access http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.08.004

A Thematic Analysis of How Postgraduate Students Perceive the Influence of Social Media Use on Their Sleep Quality

Zitian Cheng

University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.

*Corresponding author: Zitian Cheng

Published: September 2,2024

Abstract

With the increasing popularity of social media use (SMU), numerous studies have investigated its effects on sleep quality. However, most of these studies have focused on adolescents and college students, leaving a gap in research concerning postgraduate students. Furthermore, the majority of studies have employed a quantitative approach, with few utilizing qualitative methods to provide an in-depth analysis of individuals' personal experiences. This study aimed to explore how postgraduate students perceive the impact of social media use on their sleep. Five current postgraduate students were recruited as participants. Data were collected through a focus group discussion format and analysed using thematic analysis. The analysis revealed one overarching theme: the consequences of social media addiction, along with three subthemes: the effect on falling asleep, perceptions of sleep quality, and the condition upon waking the next day. This study contributes to qualitative research on postgraduate students’ use of social media and their perceptions of sleep quality. The findings could be applied to help individuals use social media in a healthier manner and improve their subjective sleep quality.

Keywords

Social media use; sleep quality; postgraduate students

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How to cite this paper

A Thematic Analysis of How Postgraduate Students Perceive the Influence of Social Media Use on Their Sleep Quality

How to cite this paper: Zitian Cheng. (2024) A Thematic Analysis of How Postgraduate Students Perceive the Influence of Social Media Use on Their Sleep Quality. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science8(8), 1831-1837.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2024.08.004