MOBILE PHONE ADDICTION AND PERCEIVED MENTAL HEALTH RISK AMONG UNDERGRADUATES FROM SELECTED UNIVERSITIES IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA
Abstract
Mental health challenges are becoming a global epidemic. As a result, empirical studies and observations have shown prevalence of mental health risk such as anxiety and depression among undergraduates. The study examined perception of undergraduates from selected universities in Southwest Nigeria toward mobile phone addiction and mental health risk. The study adopted descriptive design of the survey type. And 530 participants from Tai Solarin University of Education Ogun State, Babcock University Ilisan Remo and Adeleke University Osun State, completed and returned their responses. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire focusing on demographic characteristics, perception of undergraduate towards mobile phone addiction and Mental Health Risk. Simple percentage and frequency count was used to answer research question one (1). Pearson Moment Correlation was used to answer Hypotheses (1) while T-Test was used to answer hypotheses (2). Finding revealed that 57.4% of the respondents have positive perception towards mobile phone addiction. And, there is a significant relationship between mobile phone addiction and mental health risk among undergraduates from selected universities in Southwest Nigeria (r=0.662, p=0.000). Also, there is no significant gender difference of mobile phone addiction among participants: male (M=28.9200, SD=5.47662) females (M=28.5172, SD=6.10983). This result suggests that undergraduates from selected universities in southwest have positive perception of mobile phone addiction, and there is a significant relationship between undergraduates’ mobile phone addiction and mental health risk. It is therefore recommended that university administrations should collaborate with student union governments to sensitize undergraduates on the mental health consequences of mobile phone addiction. Also, counselling services should be internalized in all universities in Nigeria.
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