Adolescents’ Behaviours and Social Media Issues: Counselling for Effective Social Media Culture

The growing concern on undesirable behaviours and social misconducts among adolescents has been observed to be as a result of many factors, including social media influence. This study examined some of these undesirable behaviours, the overall consequences on the adolescent’s psychosocial well-being and how social media platforms can be used as a counselling tool for behaviour modification. Social media, in this study, are internet-based social websites or social network sites on handles, including Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, that serve as instruments for communication and social interactions among individuals, group and corporate bodies. Effects of the use and misuse of online social activities comprised the propagation of indecent dressing, premarital sex, sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and untimely death. In order to lessen the adverse consequences of this social challenge on adolescents. The study exemplifies the advantages of adopting the various social media handles by experts in counselling psychology to connect with adolescents from various spheres of life as behavioural change agents to improve on how adolescents can enhance the quality of life and use the different social media platforms for worthwhile social engagement, educational learning, chance for individualized knowledge and skills acquisition. The study recommended, among others, that stakeholders and significant others mentoring adolescents should make conscious commitment to nurture and mentor adolescents in the appropriate social media culture. Furthermore, psycho-educational programmes on social media culture and positive use should be incorporated into the curriculum from basic education to tertiary institutions of learning.