Influence of Online Media Use and Parental Education on the Holistic Self-Care of Secondary School Students in Post-COVID-19 Northeast Thailand

Abstract

Background: Secondary school students in Northeast Thailand have been experiencing an increase in online media usage following the COVID-19 pandemic. As many learning activities are conducted online, this has the potential to impact their physical and mental health.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the holistic self-care approaches of Secondary school students using online media in the post-COVID-19 pandemic in Northeast Thailand.

Methodology: This study was a descriptive research with a sample group of 322 Secondary school students. The data collection instruments were questionnaires on general characteristics, online media use, health problems, and holistic self-care. Five experts with diverse expertise assessed the quality of the instruments. The content validity index (CVI) was found to be 0.88, and reliability yielded  a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.96. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviations), Pearson correlation, and stepwise multiple regression statistics.

Results: The study showed that the sample was women (55.40%), with a mean age of 14.49 years (SD = 1.58). Their parents' education was mostly at the secondary level (40.30%). They used online media daily (55.90%), with an average duration of 4.95 hours per day (SD = 2.27). They used smartphones the most (94.60%). In terms of health problems, the physical and intellectual aspects were found to be at a moderate level, with average scores of 32.45 points (SD = 9.93) and 34.32 points (SD = 0.59), respectively. The emotional and social aspects were at a high level, with an average score of 44.65 points (SD = 7.63) and 29.85 points (SD = 4.95). Also, holistic self-care was at a moderate level, with a mean score of 176.50 (SD = 44.72). Moreover, factors such as the type of internet used, duration of use, devices, and parents' educational level have a statistically significant influence on the holistic self-care of Secondary school students (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: This study emphasises the significance of holistic self-care for Secondary school students in relation to their online media use, considering factors such as internet type, duration of use, devices, and parents' educational level.

Unique Contribution: This study provides empirical data showing the use of online media by Secondary school students in various contexts. Parents with a high level of education will positively impact the holistic self-care of Secondary school students.

Key Recommendation: This finding provides a direct, actionable focus for the cooperation between parents and schools. Specifically, suggest that cooperation should focus on monitoring two key areas: reducing the number of accessible devices and reducing the duration of use to boost holistic self-care immediately.