INTRODUCTION:

“In a world selfie addiction smile usually is the brand name for an essential drug for pretense.”¹

-Munia Khan

The word ‘selfie’ entered the Oxford English Dictionary in 2013, signifying the global acceptance of photographic trend that shows no sign of fading. Although self-portraits have been created through art and photography for centuries, the speed and convenience of capturing a selfie have made it an integral aspect of contemporary culture. However, this growing phenomenon promotes a critical question- when does the harmless act of taking selfies transform into a compulsive behaviour, potentially affecting an individual’s mental and social well-being?²

According to American Psychiatric Association “selfitis is defined as the obsessive- compulsive desire to take photos of one’s self and post them on social media as away to make up for the lack of self-esteem and to fill a gap in intimacy”.³

Selfitis is a mental condition where a person feels compelled to continuously take selfies and post pictures of themselves on social media. What starts as a fun activity can gradually become a habit and eventually turn into an addiction, driven by a psychological need for validation and attention.⁴

Selfie culture appeals to people’s need for attention and recognition, but it can sometimes lead to risky and unsafe behaviour. Many take selfies in dangerous places or situations, seeking validation and online fame, which can compromise safety, social-values and emotional well- being. This trend may also weaken real-life social norms, especially among young people.⁵

NEED OF STUDY:

The main purpose for conducting this study is to assess the selfitis behaviour among college students.

The increasing prevalence of selfitis behaviour, characterized by compulsive selfie-taking and sharing, necessitates research to understand it’s psychological, social and behavioral implications. Additionally, the influence of social validation through likes and comments can contribute to addictive behaviour and mental health issues.⁶

Beyond psychological impacts, selfitis behaviour also poses physical and social risks. The pursuit of the “perfect selfie” has led to dangerous behaviors, including risk- taking in unsafe locations, resulting in injuries and fatalities. Additionally, the excessive use of social media for self- promotion can affect real- life relationships, reducing face-to-face interactions and genuine social connections.⁷

In today’s digital age, social media and smartphones have become deeply embedded in the daily lives of college students. One emerging psychological phenomenon associated with this trend is selfitis while taking selfies can be a form of self-expression, excessive selfie-taking may indicate underlying issues such as low self-esteem, narcissism, loneliness, or social comparison.^7,8

College students, being in a transitional and identity-forming phase of life, are especially vulnerable to such behaviour. The increasing emphasis on appearance, validation through likes and comments, and peer influence can lead to compulsive selfie habits, which may affect their mental well-being, academic performance, and social interactions.⁹

Keeping in view the above findings regarding selfitis behaviour, the investigators felt that selfitis is a common problem among college students. So, it is very important to guide them in proper way. At this point it is important to find positive and systematic ways to deal with selfitis.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To assess the selfitis behaviour among college students in selected colleges of district Mandi, (H.P.).

2. To find out association between level of selfitis behaviour with their selected socio-demographic variables.

ASSUMPTIONS:

Study assumes that:

1. College students are familiar with social media platforms.

2. Selfitis behavior is prevalent among college students.

3. Modified Selfitis Behavior Scale (SBS) and other tools used to collect data are reliable and valid measures of selfitis behavior.

4. College students can understand the statements posed in the scale and provide meaningful responses.

METHODOLOGY:

· Research design- In this research study, descriptive design was used to assess the selfitis behaviour among college students in selected colleges of district Mandi (H.P).

· Research setting- The setting of research study was selected colleges of district Mandi, (H.P.).

· Sample –The sample of present study comprise of college students from selected colleges of district Mandi, (H.P.).

· Sampling technique –In this research study convenience sampling technique was used.

Table 1: The modified selfitis behaviour scale was categorized into 3 categories

S.no.	Level of selfitis behaviour	Range
1.	Borderline selfitis behaviour	1-33
2.	Acute selfitis behaviour	34-67
3.	Chronic selfitis behaviour	68-100

DATA ANALYSIS:

Analysis and interpretation was done in accordance with the objectives laid down for the study using descriptive and inferential statistics. The data was analysed by calculating the score in terms of frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, p- value and degree of freedom etc.

MAJOR FINDINGS:

1. Frequency and percentage of socio-demographic variables:

· In college students out of 100 college students 68(68%) were in age group of 18-21 years.

· Majority of college students were female i.e. 80(80%).

· Most college students were single, 94(94%).

· Majority of college students belonged to Hindu religion ,100(100%).

· Most college students lived in rural areas ,72(72%).

· Majority of college students, 54(54%) were from nuclear family.

· Majority of college students 82(82%) were undergraduate.

· In college students, father’s educational status was higher in graduate and above education i.e. 52(52%).

· In college students, mother’s educational status was 10+2 education 38(38%).

· Majority of college students 48(48%) had monthly income ≥Rs15001.

· In college students, 85(85%) were educated in English.

· The largest group uses social media for 1-3 hours per day i.e. 48(48%).

· Majority of college students, 50(50%) prefer Instagram.

· The majority of college students get information from others i.e. 41(41%).

Table 2: Frequency and Distribution of College Students in Terms of Level of Selfitis Behaviour

S. No.	Level of selfitis behaviour	Frequency	%
1.	Borderline selfitis behaviour	4	4%
2.	Acute selfitis behaviour	58	58%
3.	Chronic selfitis behaviour	38	38%

The findings showed that majority of college students had acute selfitis behaviour [58%], chronic selfitis behaviour [38%] and few of them [4%] had borderline selfitis behaviour.

2. Findings related to modified selfitis behaviour scale:

· The mean modified selfitis behaviour scale score of college students is 62.40 with median 64 and standard deviation is ±13.01. It was found that the selfitis scores were spread out with moderate variation, where most participants scoring between 26 and 86, with mean percentage of 72.56%.

3. Findings related to Association of level of selfitis behaviour with selected socio-demographic variables of college students:

· Findings reveals that the gender (x²=10.822, p-value =0.004**) and monthly family income (x²=10.838, p-value= 0.031*) influences the level of selfitis behaviour among college students.

· Whereas other sample characteristics such as age, marital status, religion, residing in, type of family, educational status of students, educational status of father and mother, medium of education, social media usage per day, preferred social media for posting selfies and source of information regarding selfitis behaviour had no significant association with selfitis behaviour.

CONCLUSION:

The study concludes that the gender and monthly family income influences the level of selfitis behaviour among college students where as other sample characteristics such as age, marital status, religion, residing in, type of family, educational status of students , educational status of father and mother, medium of education, social media usage per day, preferred social media for posting selfies and source of information regarding selfitis behaviour had no significant association with selfitis behaviour. Majority of college students had acute selfitis behaviour [58%], chronic selfitis behaviour [38%] and few of them [4%] had borderline selfitis behaviour. Hence, college students had moderate variation of selfitis behaviour.

REFERENCE:

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Received on 22.08.2025 Revised on 15.09.2025

Accepted on 04.10.2025 Published on 03.11.2025

Available online from November 12, 2025

A and V Pub J. of Nursing and Medical Res. 2025;4(4):133-135.

DOI: 10.52711/jnmr.2025.30

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