DIGITAL MEDIA USE, ANXIETY, SELF-ESTEEM, AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR AMONG ADOLESCENTS IN SOUTHWEST DELHI: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

The present cross-sectional study examined the relationships among digital media use, anxiety, self-esteem, and delinquent behaviour among adolescents in Southwest Delhi. The sample comprised 252 adolescents aged 13–18 years, including 126 boys and 126 girls, selected through stratified random sampling from schools located in urban and semi-urban areas. Digital media use was assessed using the Digital Media Use Questionnaire for Adolescents (DMUQ-A), anxiety through a self-report adaptation of the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), self-esteem through the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and delinquent behaviour through a 10-item Delinquent Behavior Checklist adapted from selected Youth Self-Report items. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product–moment correlation were used to analyse the data. Digital media use was positively associated with anxiety, r = .49, p < .01, and delinquent behaviour, r = .41, p < .01, and negatively associated with self-esteem, r = −.38, p < .01. Anxiety was negatively related to self-esteem and positively related to delinquent behaviour, while self-esteem was negatively related to delinquent behaviour. The findings indicate that higher digital media use scores are associated with less favourable emotional and behavioural adjustment among adolescents. However, the cross-sectional design does not permit causal conclusions. The study highlights the importance of digital literacy, supportive parental monitoring, and school-based mental health initiatives aimed at promoting balanced and responsible digital engagement among adolescents.