Global Journal of Psychology
Research: New Trends and
Issues
Volume 06, Issue 3, (2016) 135-147
www.gjpr.eu
Prevalence of social media networking on academic achievement
and psychological health of undergraduate students in Federal
Universities in Nigeria
Dorothy Ebere Adimora
*
, Department of Educational Foundations/CUDIMAC, Educational Psychology, Faculty of
Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. 410001, Nigeria.
Margaret Nwakaego Ngwuchukwu, Department of Library and Information Sciences, University of Nigeria,
410001, Nsukka.
Joseph Chinweobo Onuoha, Department of Social Science Education, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria,
Nsukka, 410001, Nigeria.
Suggested Citation:
Adimora, D. E., Ngwuchukwu, M. N. & Onuoha, J. C. (2016). Prevalence of social media networking on academic
achievement and psychological health of undergraduate students in Federal Universities in Nigeria Global
Journal of Psychology Research: New Trends and Issues. 6(3), 135-147.
Received May 10, 2016; revised June 23, 2016 ; accepted August 30, 2016;
Selection and peer review under responsibility of Prof. Dr. Tulay Bozkurt, Istanbul Kultur University, Turkey.
©
2016 SciencePark Research, Organization & Counseling. All rights reserved.
Abstract
Social Media are mediae that allow users to meet online through the internet to communicate in social forum. To investigate
the prevalence of social media networking, as it relates to academic achievement and psychological health of undergraduate
students in federal universities in Nigeria, the study adopted a correlational survey research design. The study was carried
out in federal universities in Nigeria. The population comprised all 28,120 undergraduates in the faculties of Education and
Engineering in the 40 federal universities in Nigeria in 2015/2016 academic session. Simple and stratified random sampling
techniques were used to draw a sample of 351 undergraduate students in 200 level in faculties of education and engineering
in 4 sampled federal universities from 40 federal universities in Nigeria used for the study. Six research questions and four
null hypotheses formulated guided the study. Strong reliability evidence was found for social media networking and
psychological health scales which yielded 0.78 and 0.74 respectively. The instrument for data collection were well-structured
interview schedule, self report questionnaire and students raw scores on a four point likert-type format which were
administered to elicit informatioŶ oŶ studeŶts soĐial ŵedia ŶetǁoƌkiŶg, ǁhilst aŶ aĐhieǀeŵeŶt test ǁas adŵiŶisteƌed to
ascertain their academic achievement. Data for research questions 1 and 2 were answered using mean and standard
deviation, whilst data for research questions 3-6 were aŶalLJzed usiŶg peaƌsoŶs ƌ aŶd ‘-square. The hypotheses were tested
usiŶg AŶalLJsis of ǀaƌiaŶĐe ;ANOVAͿ statistiĐ at Ϭ.Ϭϱ leǀel of sigŶifiĐaŶĐe. It ǁas fouŶd that studeŶts soĐial ŵedia Ŷetǁoƌki ng
significantly predicts their academic achievement and psychological health. Based on the findings, of this study, the
* ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Dorothy Ebere Adimora, Department of Educational Foundations/CUDIMAC,
Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 410001, Nigeria.
E-mail address: ebere4jesus@yahoo.com / Tel: +2348035180700