Psychological Features of Adolescents’ Self-Doubt in the Context of the Modern Digital Society

Abstract

Socio-economic changes in modern society, the expansion of the information space, and the rapid development of digital technologies have a significant impact on adolescents’ psychological development and the formation of self-confidence. In particular, social media, online communication, and forms of virtual interaction have elevated the process of forming adolescents’ self-concept (“I-image”) to a new level while simultaneously making it more complex. Adolescence is a critical developmental stage in which self-awareness is formed and the acquisition of social roles and values occurs intensively. During this period, the level of self-confidence is one of the key factors determining psychological well-being, personal development, and social adaptation of adolescents. However, idealized images and constant social comparisons in the digital environment may negatively affect the formation of this confidence.

The aim of the article is to examine the psychological features of adolescents’ self-doubt in the context of the modern digital society. The experimental study involved 7th–8th grade school students. The following methods were used in the research: G. N. Kazantseva’s questionnaire “Study of General Self-Esteem,” G. Kozhukhar’s methodology “Quality of Interpersonal Relationships in the Educational Environment,” and A.M. Prikhozhan’s questionnaire “Assessment of Self-Confidence.” The obtained results were processed and analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. The findings of the experimental study showed that adolescents’ self-esteem and interpersonal relationships have a direct influence on their level of self-confidence.

The theoretical framework of the study includes the works of foreign scholars G. S. Hall, J. Piaget, L. Kohlberg, S. Freud, and E. Erikson, as well as Soviet psychologists L. Vygotsky, D. Elkonin, A. Leontiev, and L. Bozhovich. In addition, the works of Kazakh scholars K. Zharikbayev and S. Kaliyev, as well as modern researchers A. Kumar, P. M. Valkenburg, A. Meier, I. Beyens, and C. Huang, were analyzed.