Impact of TikTok to the self-esteem of the Grade 11 student of La Purisima
National High School
Review of Related Literature
Nowadays, TikTok is one of the most popular media apps which users can create
short videos, share information and other content. TikTok has grown into one of
the biggest social media platforms in the world. Due to its popularity many
teenagers are already adopting it. They use it for fun, meet new friends and to
cure boredom. The growth of TikTok provides many opportunities to many people
around the world. On the other hand, the use of social media among students
has reach high levels and has affected their study time, poor grammar and wrong
spellings when socializing on social media as well as diverting their attention
from their studies (Ndaku, 2013). Globally, TikTok is now the fastest growing
social media platform among children and young people; but it remains
surprisingly under-researched in psychology and psychiatry, McCashin, D., &
Murphy, C. M. (2023).
In the Philippines, TikTok is among the most popular SNSs. From the
conventional" meme" to numerous creative forms like dance and song covers, it
has served as a platform for users of varying ages and ethnicities to
communicate with each other and create content. Bytedance, a Beijing-based
Chinese multinational internet technology business, released the aforementioned
software in 2017 (Bhandari & Bimo, 2022; Sharabati et al., 2022). It's a platform
where anyone can upload short movies (15-60 seconds) showcasing their skills
in areas like acting, singing, comedy, and more (Guo, 2022; Kennedy, 2020). As
it has evolved, TikTok has become a great hub for videos covering many different
topics, from sports and style to how-to guides and instructional videos. For the
previous years, this app has topped the charts as the most downloaded mobile
app every single month (Juwariyah et al., 2022; Widyasari et al., 2022).
DepEd Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012) provides
guidelines for the protection of children in school settings, including protection
from online pmrisks and encourages schools to create a safe environment for
students, addressing the impact of social media on their mental health and self-
esteem. These law and policy collectively aim to create a safe and supportive
environment for students, protecting them from the negative impacts of social
media use, including on platforms like TikTok. They highlight the responsibility of
educational institutions, the government, and social media platforms in
safeguarding students' well-being and self-esteem. Students seek distraction
from these stresses by using a variety of social media platforms (Cauberghe et
al., 2021; Wiederhold, 2020), and the most prominent app that plays a significant
role for students is TikTok (Hajriah et al., 2021; Hamami et al., 2022).
In Camarines Sur, there are several local studies focusing on TikTok, highlighting
its influence on students and community engagement. TikTok and Student
Engagement: One study by Lobo et al. (2022) investigated the consumption of
TikTok among performing arts students and its impact on their class engagement.
This study explored whether TikTok usage is beneficial or destructive to students'
academic involvement, particularly in the context of the "new normal" educational
setup due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
López and Mendoza (2019) investigated how TikTok affects the self-esteem of
Grade 11 students in Camarines Sur, examining both global and local cultural
factors. Their research found that while TikTok provides a space for creativity and
peer connection, it also intensifies social comparison, which can negatively
impact self-esteem. The study emphasized the significance of local cultural
contexts, as students grapple with global social media influences alongside
traditional values. The authors call for educational strategies to enhance media
literacy, enabling students to better navigate these challenges. Over all, TikTok is
also important in educational opportunities for students. They can learn new
skills, gain knowledge about different topics, and discover different perspectives
through the videos they watch. This can help boost their self-esteem as they feel
more knowledgeable and empowered. TikTok is a positive force in the lives of
students and not a detriment to their mental health and well-being.
References: McCashin, D., & Murphy, C. M. (2023). Using TikTok for public and
youth mental health–A systematic review and content analysis. Clinical Child
Psychology and Psychiatry, 28(1), 279-306.
Salasac, C., Lobo, J., & Bernardo, B. D. (2022). Bridging the empirical gap in the
relationship and effect of TikTok on students’ engagement: A case of a local
college in the Philippines. International Research Journal of Science, Technology,
Education, & Management (IRJSTEM), 2(4).
López and Mendoza (2019). Social media addiction relationship with academic
engagement in university students: The mediator role of self-esteem, depression,
and anxiety. Heliyon, 10(2).
