Mental Health Variables and Internet Addiction among Undergraduates of the University of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Abstract

The increasing reliance on the internet among university students has raised concerns about problematic internet use and its implications for mental health. This study examined the mental health implications of internet addiction among undergraduates of the University of Ibadan, focusing on anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and social isolation. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted for the study. The population comprised all undergraduates of the University of Ibadan, from which a sample of 200 students was selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using standardized and self-developed questionnaires. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, specifically regression analyses and t-test, tested at 0.05 level of significance. The conceptual and theoretical foundations of the study were anchored on the PEN-3 Cultural Model and the Emotional Intelligence Framework, which together provided a culturally grounded and psychological lens for understanding how internet addiction interacts with individual emotional skills and socio-cultural contexts to influence mental health outcomes.