Survey Report On Social Media Use And Loneliness Among Youth Living Alone In Beijing

Young people living alone in cities are also known as "empty-nest youth".Along with the process of urbanization in China,the original family system has been broken,and a large number of "empty-nest elderly" and "empty nest-youth" had appeared in China’s cities and villages.The "empty-nest elderly" had been a topic of widespread concern in academia and society,but the phenomenon of "empty-nest youth" has not attracted enough attention and discussion.The development of youth is closely related to the development of society,and it is necessary to study this group from the perspective of communication.In this study,participant observation,questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used to investigate youth aged 18-35 living alone in Beijing.Through the participant observation method,we examine the overall life background and behavioral motivations of youth living alone in Beijing,and then conduct in-depth interviews to understand the group’s living status,emotional status and social media use.The study found that the overall level of loneliness among youth living alone in Beijing was strong,and the education level was significantly negatively correlated with loneliness.There was no significant correlation between the intensity of social media use and loneliness among youth living alone in Beijing.There was a significant negative correlation between satisfaction with social media use and loneliness,and the higher the satisfaction with use,the lower the level of loneliness.The degree of overlap between online and offline friends of youth living alone in Beijing significantly and negatively predicted their loneliness,and the higher the degree of overlap between online and offline friends,the lower the level of loneliness.Interpersonal and recreational motives of social media use were significantly and negatively related to loneliness among empty-nest youth,and the more social media could meet the interpersonal and recreational purposes of youth living alone in Beijing,the more it could reduce their loneliness.Through the use of social media,young people living alone in Beijing can strengthen social ties,expand social interactions,and satisfy their own entertainment and leisure purposes,effectively alleviating the loneliness of youth living alone in Beijing.However,over-indulgence in online social networking will not only fail to alleviate loneliness,but will even further intensify the loneliness experience.Therefore,young people living alone in Beijing need to look at social media dialectically,maintain a rational attitude,give full play to the positive role of social media,and alleviate loneliness through multiple channels online and offline.Expand hobbies and interests,make friends through interests,and establish interesting groups.Seek the integration of virtual and reality,and engage in more face-to-face offline socializing.The society should give more attention to the youth living alone in Beijing,create a good social environment for them,and provide a strong guarantee for their development.