Digital Empathy and Online Emotional Connections among Teenagers at Iligan City National High School

Authors

Abotanio, Aldrin L.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Omandam, Keanri Samuel M.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Radiamoda, Haris B.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Anggot, Cher Melisande R.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Baculio, Christina Rose C.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Lluisma, Mary Lyn N.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Talib, Norhana D.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Ventero, Mae L.

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Joan A. Enad

Iligan City National High School, Mahayahay, Iligan City In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For Practical Research II (Philippines)

Article Information

DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS.2025.91200264

Subject Category: Education

Volume/Issue: 9/12 | Page No: 3431-3450

Publication Timeline

Submitted: 2025-12-21

Accepted: 2025-12-27

Published: 2026-01-15

Abstract

This study, titled "Digital Empathy and Online Emotional Connections Among Teenagers at Iligan City National High School," aimed to determine how empathy and emotional connections are expressed and developed through online interactions among adolescents. The main goal was to assess the presence and relationship between digital empathy and online emotional connections among high school students.
Data were gathered through Google Forms surveys using a descriptive-correlational design to examine the link between digital empathy and emotional connection. Results showed that teenagers display digital empathy online, showing care and understanding through social media and chats. Emotional connections exist but vary in depth based on interaction quality.
Overall, while digital empathy promotes openness, face-to-face interaction remains vital for deeper connection. The findings encourage educators to foster mindful and empathetic online behavior among students.

Keywords

Digital Empathy, Online Emotional Connection, Teenagers, Social Media Interaction, Online Communication, Descriptive-Correlational Study, Digital Behavior, Adolescent Relationships, Emotional Awareness

Downloads

References

1. Kramer, A. D. I., Guillory, J. E., & Hancock, J. T. (2021). Emotional contagion in the age of social media: A meta-analysis. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 22(3), 123-156. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. https://doi.org/10.1177/15291006211024789 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Martínez-Pecino, R., García-Martín, M. B., & García-Martín, J. (2022). Online empathy, use of social networks and adolescence in the Community of Madrid. Children, 9(5), 632. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. https://doi.org/10.3390/children9050632 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. De Leon, J. M., & Dela Cruz, A. B. (2023). Digital empathy and social media among Filipino youth: Post-pandemic insights. Philippine Journal of Psychology, 56(2), 123-145. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. https://doi.org/10.31710/pjp/2302-05 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Ortega-Ruiz, R., et al. (2020). Empathy and Emotional Intelligence in Adolescent Cyberaggressors and Cybervictims. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(15), 5416. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17155416 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Adolescents’ Online Connections with Friends during COVID-19: An Assessment of the Forms of Communication and Their Association with Emotional Adjustment. (2022). Children. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/10/8/1281 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Bacchini, D., et al. (2023). Measuring Empathy Online and Moral Disengagement in Cyberbullying. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1061482. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1061482 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Fattori, A., et al. (2024). Adolescent Social Media Use and Emotional Intelligence: A Systematic Review. Adolescent Research Review. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40894-024-00245-z [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Carrier, L. M., Spradlin, A., Bunce, J. P., & Rosen, L. D. (2015). Virtual empathy: Positive and negative impacts of going online upon empathy in young adults. Computers in Human Behavior, 52, 39-48. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Loades, M. E., Chatburn, E., Higson-Sweeney, N., Reynolds, S., Shafran, R., Brigden, A., Linney, C., McManus, M. N., Borwick, C., & Crawley, E. (2022). Rapid systematic review: The impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents in the context of COVID-19. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 61(11), 1418-1439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2022.05.009 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Antiporda, B. C. W., Juanengo, A. B., Malaluan, A. J. L., & Martin, R. M. P. H. (2021). Drowning Screens: Social Media Experience and the Emotional Well-Being of Filipino Adolescents. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Etikan, I., Musa, S. A., & Alkassim, R. S. (2016). Comparison of convenience sampling and purposive sampling. American Journal of Theoretical and Applied Statistics, 5(1), 1–4. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Riess, H. (2017). The science of empathy. Journal of Patient Experience, 4(2), 74–77. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Vossen, H. G. M., & Valkenburg, P. M. (2016). Do social media foster or curtail adolescents’ empathy? Computers in Human Behavior, 63, 118–124. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Ives, C. (2020). How the online ecosystem shapes Gen Z digital natives. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. EAB.https://www.eab.com/resources/research-report/how-the-online-ecosystem-shapes-gen-z-digital-natives [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Sultan, M. A., & Khan, N. N. (2025). Rethinking empathy development in childhood and adolescence: A call for global, culturally adaptive strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, Article 1575249. https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1575249/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Chang, C. W. (2023). Influences of digital media and social networks on … SAGE Open (or similar journal).https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/21582440231191741 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

Metrics

Views & Downloads

Similar Articles