Use of Social Media for Political Participation Among Junior High School Students at Hadji Butu School of Arts and Trades

Amilhamja Sariul

doi:10.62596/8tqyth12

Authors

Amilhamja M. Sariul Graduate School, Sulu State College, Jolo, Sulu, Philippines Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62596/8tqyth12

Keywords:

Social Media, Political Participation, Junior High School Students

Abstract

This study explored the utilization of social media for political participation among junior high school students at Hadji Butu School of Arts and Trades during School Year 2024-2025. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, the investigation involved 100 purposively sampled respondents. Data analysis incorporated weighted mean, standard deviation, t-test for independent samples, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation test. The key findings revealed that: 1) The majority of respondents were female Grade 10 students with parents who attained high school education and earned an average monthly income of 5,001-10,000; 2) Students generally perceived a moderate impact of social media on their political participation; 3) Among the demographic variables examined, only parental educational attainment showed significant influence on students' assessment of social media's political impact, while gender, grade level, and parental income demonstrated no significant effects; 4) Strong correlations were identified between the types of social media platforms used, political activities engaged in, and the nature of social media's perceived impact; 5) The results provide empirical support for Mobilization Theory, Reinforcement Theory, and the Spiral of Silence Theory, affirming social media's potential as a political engagement tool, its role in reinforcing existing political behaviors, and its influence on self-censorship due to perceived social risks. These findings contribute to understanding how digital platforms shape political engagement among adolescent learners in educational contexts.

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