INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA
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Abstract
The Study Investigate the Influence of Social Media on Mental Health Among Senior Secondary School Students in Oredo Local Government Area. Three research questions were raised to guide this study: What is the level of social media usage among
students in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state, Is there a relationship between social media usage and the mental health of students, What is the difference in relationship between social media usage and mental health of students among male and
female in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state. The population comprises Senior Secondary school students (SSS 1-3) within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. This includes students from public and private schools. Based on available data and school records, the estimated total number of students in SSS 1-3 across selected public and private secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area is 800. This figure represents the target population from which the sample for this study will be drawn. This study employed a simple random sampling technique to ensure that every student in the population had an equal chance of being selected. This method was chosen to minimize bias and enhance the representativeness of
the sample across Senior Secondary School(SSS 1-3) in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. For this study, a total sample size of 200 students was selected from ten secondary schools within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. The findings revealed that, there is a high level of social media usage among students, driven by the search for gratifications such as social interaction and identity formation, the level of mental health among the students is low, characterized by early signs of difficulty such as sleep irritation, lack of energy, and self-isolation there is a significant relationship between social media usage and mental health, indicating that
heavy and prolonged time spent on these platforms contributes to increased symptoms of
anxiety and depression. The following recommendations are made: Parents should ensure
that their children are digitally and emotionally prepared for the impact of social media. They should support their children’s well-being by monitoring platform density and encouraging non-screen activities like sports and in-person socializing. Schools should incorporate programs that focus on digital literacy and mental health awareness as part of the secondary education curriculum. This will enhance students' ability to handle "comparison pressure" and improve mental health outcomes. The government should implement policies that ensure all schools have access to mental health counseling services that address digital conditioning and cyberbullying. This will ensure that students are better prepared for the psychological challenges of the digital age
students in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state, Is there a relationship between social media usage and the mental health of students, What is the difference in relationship between social media usage and mental health of students among male and
female in Oredo Local Government Area Edo state. The population comprises Senior Secondary school students (SSS 1-3) within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. This includes students from public and private schools. Based on available data and school records, the estimated total number of students in SSS 1-3 across selected public and private secondary schools in Oredo Local Government Area is 800. This figure represents the target population from which the sample for this study will be drawn. This study employed a simple random sampling technique to ensure that every student in the population had an equal chance of being selected. This method was chosen to minimize bias and enhance the representativeness of
the sample across Senior Secondary School(SSS 1-3) in Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. For this study, a total sample size of 200 students was selected from ten secondary schools within Oredo Local Government Area, Edo State. The findings revealed that, there is a high level of social media usage among students, driven by the search for gratifications such as social interaction and identity formation, the level of mental health among the students is low, characterized by early signs of difficulty such as sleep irritation, lack of energy, and self-isolation there is a significant relationship between social media usage and mental health, indicating that
heavy and prolonged time spent on these platforms contributes to increased symptoms of
anxiety and depression. The following recommendations are made: Parents should ensure
that their children are digitally and emotionally prepared for the impact of social media. They should support their children’s well-being by monitoring platform density and encouraging non-screen activities like sports and in-person socializing. Schools should incorporate programs that focus on digital literacy and mental health awareness as part of the secondary education curriculum. This will enhance students' ability to handle "comparison pressure" and improve mental health outcomes. The government should implement policies that ensure all schools have access to mental health counseling services that address digital conditioning and cyberbullying. This will ensure that students are better prepared for the psychological challenges of the digital age
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