Digital Citizenship: Influence of Instagram on Teenagers' Self-Esteem and Social Approval in Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

In this study we analyze, from the perspective of digital citizenship, the relationship between Instagram use, self-esteem, and the search for social approval among high school students in Chiapas, Mexico. Using a quantitative design and a sample of 262 students, three validated instruments were applied: the Adolescent Self-Esteem Scale (Niebla et al., 2011), which measure affective, cognitive, and social dimensions; the Social Comparison Orientation Scale (INCOM), adapted by Gibbons and Buunk (1999) and validated by Buunk et al. (2005); and a Questionnaire on Instagram Use and Interaction based on Stapleton et al. (2017). The analysis included descriptive statistics and gender comparisons. 

The results show that 85.9% of the sample uses Instagram on a daily basis, consolidating it as a hub for digital youth socialization. Although generally favourable levels of self-esteem were identified (e.g., “I like myself as I am,” M = 3.65), vulnerabilities persist: 13% of men and 5.3% of women reported dissatisfaction with their appearance, and 35.1% of men and 28.3% of women perceived themselves as academically incompetent. In addition, around 20% rely heavily on “likes” and comments to validate their self-image.

Gender differences are evident: women prioritize appearance and external approval, while men report greater academic and peer pressure. These findings, situated in a specific sociocultural context in southern Mexico, reinforce the need to integrate digital citizenship into upper secondary education, with pedagogical proposals that strengthen emotional self-regulation, critical thinking, and the construction of more autonomous and resilient digital identities.