Social media use, and Facebook involvement in particular, has become embedded in the daily routines of young adults, with measurable implications for their psychological well-being and self-perception. This study examined the role of social media (Facebook) on the self-concept of young adults at the University of Buea, South West Region of Cameroon, operationalising self-concept through three sub-constructs: self-esteem, self-image, and the ideal self. Facebook engagement was framed in terms of motivation, uses and gratifications, and social comparison. The study was grounded in three theoretical lenses, namely symbolic interactionism, social comparison theory, and self-objectification theory. A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was adopted. A structured, closed-ended questionnaire was administered to 450 active Facebook users drawn through random sampling from three faculties of the University of Buea. Data were captured in EpiData version 3.1 and analysed in SPSS using descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, and the non-parametric Spearman rho correlation, with significance set at the 0.05 level. Descriptive results showed that Facebook involvement affected self-esteem (83.2%), self-image (79.0%), and the ideal self (77.2%) of respondents. Inferential results confirmed a statistically significant negative relationship between Facebook use and each dimension of the self-concept: self-esteem (rho = -.211, p = .001), self-image (rho = -.237, p < .001), and ideal self (rho = -.245, p < .001), with an overall self-concept effect of rho = -.250 (p < .001). Female respondents, younger users (18 to 25 years), and those whose principal motivation was posting and commenting on pictures were consistently more affected. The study recommends targeted sensitisation on the content shared on Facebook, a stronger and exemplary presence of conventional media on social platforms, the introduction of social media as a formal course in universities, and balanced regulation of social media use.
social media, Facebook, self-concept, self-esteem, self-image, ideal self, social comparison, young adults, Cameroon.
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