DIGITAL CULTURE AND SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER AFFECTING KENYAN GEN-Z; IMPLICATIONS FOR MULTICULTURALLY SENSITIVE PSYCHOLOGISTS
Abstract
Purpose: The study sought to examine the impact of digital culture on social anxiety among Kenyan Gen-Z youth, focusing on how increased internet and smartphone access influences identity formation and mental well-being in the context of traditional African values like Ubuntu.
Methodology: A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted, drawing on empirical literature, expert opinion, and cultural perspectives. The study integrated theoretical insights with real-life observations to explore the tensions between algorithmic digital influences and traditional communal frameworks. Key constructs examined included digital self-presentation, individualism, and cultural dissonance.
Results: Findings revealed that Gen-Z youth in Kenya experience heightened social anxiety linked to the pressure of maintaining curated online personas. This pressure often leads to feelings of inadequacy, disconnection, and withdrawal from offline social engagements. The contradiction between the digital world's emphasis on individualism and the communal values embodied in Ubuntu emerged as a central source of internal conflict. The influence of algorithm-driven platforms was shown to intensify egocentrism and loneliness, undermining collective identity and psychological resilience.
Conclusion: The study concludes that the rise of digital culture is creating a complex identity crisis among Kenyan youth by weakening traditional values of interconnectedness.
Recommendations: The study recommends that multicultural psychologists integrate traditional healing with digital tools in culturally sensitive ways, using technology to reinforce—rather than replace—communal mental health values.
Key Words: Digital Culture, Social Anxiety Disorder, Gen-Z, Ubuntu, Multicultural Sensitivity.
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