Scrolling into Sadness: A Correlational Study Between Social Media Addiction and Depression among University Students.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/5816ff06Keywords:
social media, social media addiction, depression, university studentsAbstract
Social media has rapidly evolved, resulting in drastically changed communication behaviours and daily practices, especially among college students. Social media platforms offer a gateway for connectedness, connection, and information generation, but overuse has primarily been accompanied by psychological problems. This research intends to analyze and investigate the link between social media addiction levels and depression rates among university students. Researchers carried out a quantitative cross-sectional study by distributing a structured questionnaire to 440 students enrolled from all seven faculties in Universiti Teknologi MARA, Perlis Branch. Ethical approval was obtained (REC/555/202). Correlation analysis of the data showed a statistically significant and positive correlation between social media addiction and university students' depression. The study points out that targeted interventions, digital well-being awareness, and mental health support in educational institutions are needed.
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