Social Media Usage Patterns Among Families That Influence Family Cohesion in Uasin-Gishu County, Kenya

Abstract

This study examined social media usage patterns among families in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, and their influence on family cohesion. With internet penetration growing significantly in Africa, social media has become a pervasive element in daily life, facilitating communication, content sharing, and networking. This research explored how various social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, and others were integrated into family dynamics and their impact on family relationships. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, collecting quantitative data through structured questionnaires from 400 respondents aged 15-64 and qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions with key informants. The analysis covered understanding of social media, sources of awareness, usage patterns, purposes of usage, and the impact of social media on family dynamics. Findings indicated that a significant majority (74.2%) of respondents had a complete understanding of social media, with media, personal experience, and school education being the primary sources of awareness. Social media usage was ubiquitous among family members, with platforms like Facebook (19.6%), WhatsApp (18.4%), and YouTube (16.6%) being the most popular. High frequency and duration of usage, particularly on WhatsApp and Facebook, highlighted their importance in maintaining daily interactions and family connections. The primary purposes for social media usage were entertainment (40.72%), socialization (39.90%), and information sharing (29.33%). The hypothesis tested was that there was no relationship between the usage of social media within the family set up by respondents and the patterns of social media adopted. Several statistical tests were conducted, including Chi-Square, Pearson Correlation, Spearman Correlation, and Independent Samples T-Tests. The Chi-Square Test showed a Pearson Chi-Square value of 48.783 with 48 degrees of freedom and a p-value of 0.441, indicating no significant association (p > 0.05). The Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.056 with a p-value of 0.213, the Spearman correlation coefficient was 0.062 with a p-value of 0.198, and the Independent Samples T-Test showed a mean score of 3.56 (SD = 0.89) for families that used social media and 3.49 (SD = 0.92) for those that did not, with a t-value of 0.84 and a p-value of 0.402. These tests all indicated no significant relationship between family social media usage and social media usage patterns. These findings suggested that individual social media habits were influenced more by personal or external factors rather than family practices. The theoretical implications of this study demonstrated the applicability of the Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and Social Exchange Theory (SET) in understanding social media usage patterns among families in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. UGT explained the diverse motivations behind social media use, highlighting the pursuit of entertainment, socialization, and information. SET provided a framework for understanding how families balanced the benefits and costs associated with social media usage to enhance family cohesion. Together, these theories offered a comprehensive understanding of the complex dynamics of social media use within family contexts, emphasizing the need for strategies to maximize benefits and manage conflicts effectively. The study concluded that while social media played a significant role in family life, its usage patterns did not significantly influence family cohesion. Recommendations included enhancing digital literacy, promoting balanced usage, addressing conflicts, supporting positive engagement, and conducting further research to explore the nuanced factors influencing social media usage and family dynamics. These findings provided a comprehensive understanding of social media usage patterns among families in Uasin Gishu County and offered valuable insights for promoting healthy and balanced digital engagement within familial contexts.