Study: Today's youth are self-confident but vulnerable in social media

Today's young people are confident in their powers but vulnerable in social media. Three out of four young people show fake self-confidence but 64% find confidence in the community, according to a study made by the Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR).   BCR launches an ample declaration of confidence in young people in Romania, in the biggest study about the way in which generation Z is building self confidence. The study, made by Cult Market Research at the initiative of the bank, points out the role of the family, communities and life experiences in shaping self-confidence, and also the contradictions facing young people.   “The conviction that confidence is born in the community is also seen in Zbor, the project backed by BCR and set up together with young people, offering those aged between 14 and 25, safe and inclusive areas for socializing, collaboration and access to learning and perconal development resources,” the study shows.   The study results show a paradox the young people have: 61% declare they are confident in themselves, while 57% acknowledge they are blocked when they have to present their ideas in public.   “Confidence exists at interior level, but exposition and fear of judgement remain major challenges. At the same time, sociao media points out the difference between perception and reality: Three out of four youths say they have displayed happiness online while in fact they felt bad, while 77% consider the digital world did not reflect society correctly. Although the online offered visibility, real authenticity and validation remain connected to face to face meetings and communities where they feel accepted,” the authors of the study show.   Thus family remains a central landmark for about half of the responding youths, at the same level with their partners, which shows that both support relations and couples have a decisive role in modelling self esteem.   Beyond figures, the study shows the fact that confidence ia a collective phenomenon, living only through social communities and contexts.   “The study confirms that confidence is not just an individual trait, but a social process. Generation Z is building self-esteem through real interractions and communities which offer validation and safety. That is why team projects and hubs devoted to young people are seen as areas where identity is being consolidated. Romania needs to encourage these contexts, so that individual potential could turn into social and emotional capital,”said Paul Kasprovschi, Research & Evaluation Director.   The study shows that about half of young people expect that a center devoted to them could help them consolidate self confidence. Moreover, 37% wish to clearify personal development objectives, while 36% are looking for contexts in which they could better relate with the others.   Other study aspects show that 77% of youths declare they assume the responsibility of their own choices which provea clear autonomy wish. At the same time, personal achievements and the support of people close to them are mentioned asthe main confidence sources, which confirms the decisive role of the balance between internal resources and social relations.   About two thirds (64%) say that face-to-face meetings with other young people increase confidence, pointing out the importance of real interactions for emotional health, the source mentions.   Until now, over 55,000 of young people participated in more then 1,500 events organized in ZBOR areas, next to 250 NGOs and 50 partner companies, which contributed to relevant experiences for local youth communities. The network is backed by a team of 60 people and 300 volunteers active in the whole country.   Cult Market Research, made over July-August 2025, included two stages. The first stage included 15 interviews with generation Z people involved in the project and community leaders, while the second stage is an online opinion poll, on a sample of 956 youths aged between 14 and 30 years.   The margin of error is +/-3.1%.   BCR offers a complete range of financial prducts and services, through a network of 20 business centers and 18 mobile offices for companies and 298 retail units located in most towns with over 10,000 inhabitants, 69% of which are units where cash operations are cashless.