EXPLORING PSYCHOSOCIAL EXPERIENCES OF ONLINE FLINGS AMONG FEMALE YOUNG ADULT

Abstract

Online flings refer to short-term causal relationship or sexual encounter with no expectations of commitment or emotional attachment that primarily occur through digital platforms. The rise of online dating apps and social media has significantly impacted how individuals, including young adults, engage in romantic and sexual relationships. The present study explored the psychosocial experiences of online flings among female young adults. Purposive sampling strategy was used to collect the sample of (N=8) females who involve in doing online flings or making online relationships. The sample was recruited from institutions. Demographic sheet and interview protocol was used to gather the data. In order to analyze the data, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used. The findings revealed that there was one main theme i.e., manifestation of psycho-social experiences. Two superordinate themes emerged i.e., psychological experiences and social experiences. Eight subordinate themes emerged by analyzing the data. Psychological experiences comprised four subordinate themes i.e., intrinsic motivation, emotional turmoil, impact on self-esteem and fear of abandonment. Social experiences comprised of four subordinate themes i.e., phubbing, social influence, companionship seeking and inadequate family support. The total number of codes extracted from the data was 59. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that mental health professionals and educational institutions develop targeted interventions to address the psychological and social challenges faced by young adult females engaging in online flings. These interventions could include workshops on digital relationship dynamics and support groups to foster healthier online interactions and emotional well-being.