scholarly journals A cross-sectional survey of Social Media Anxiety among students of University of Nigeria

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah O. Aluh ◽  
Thelma Chukwuobasi ◽  
Adaobi U. Mosanya

AbstractBackgroundSocial anxiety is one of the most prevalent and disabling anxiety disorders with lifetime prevalence rates ranging from 2 to 16% s in different populations. Considering the rising use of social media among university students, it is necessary to assess their social anxiety as a result of the use of social media platforms since social anxiety can affect social interaction in social mediaMethodsThe current study employed a cross-sectional descriptive approach and was carried out among undergraduate students of University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) which is a data collection tool to assess levels of social anxiety experienced by university students while using social media platforms was used in the current study. Data were analyzed with IBM Statistical Products and Service Solutions (SPSS) for Windows, Version 20.0.ResultsA total of 228 out of the 380 questionnaires distributed were filled and returned (60% response rate). Social media usage was highest for WhatsApp (4.4±0.902) and Facebook (3.3±1.055). Social media anxiety was higher in females (69.00±12.59) than males (68.42±12.06) although this difference did not reach statistical significance (t = −0.356, p = 0.864). Social media usage was higher in females (35.02±5.04) than males (34.58±6.01) but the difference did not reach statistical significance (t = −0.603, p = 0.314). There was a non-significant negative association between Social media usage and social media anxiety (r = –0.051, p = 0.4450). More than half of the students (55.7%, n = 127) had social media anxiety.ConclusionIn conclusion, there was a negative non-significant correlation between social media usage and social anxiety. Investigations regarding social anxiety in social media are scarce from low and middle income countries and this is the first from an African country.

IFLA Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 034003522199156
Author(s):  
Iqra Bashir ◽  
Amara Malik ◽  
Khalid Mahmood

Social media has evolved over the last decade as a key driver for sharing and acquiring information in various domains of life. The increasing popularity of social media raises a number of questions regarding the extent of its use and the types of information shared. This study is designed to answer these questions by investigating university students’ use of social media in terms of commonly used social media platforms, frequency of use and the types of information shared. It also looks at differences of opinion based on gender, academic discipline and programme of study. The study is based on a cross-sectional survey; a structured questionnaire was developed and data was collected from 400 students at four universities in Faisalabad, Pakistan. The findings indicate that the majority of the students were frequent users of social media and visited platforms daily or several times a day. WhatsApp, Facebook and YouTube were the most widely used social media platforms. Male students tended to use social media more frequently than their female counterparts. This study will serve as a guideline for further research as it addresses an untouched area from a local perspective and reports original research.


2017 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Y. Tran ◽  
Jennifer A. Lyon

This cross-sectional survey focused on faculty use and knowledge of author identifiers and researcher networking systems, and professional use of social media, at a large state university. Results from 296 completed faculty surveys representing all disciplines (9.3% response rate) show low levels of awareness and variable resource preferences. The most utilized author identifier was ORCID while ResearchGate, LinkedIn, and Google Scholar were the top profiling systems. Faculty also reported some professional use of social media platforms. The survey data will be utilized to improve library services and develop intra-institutional collaborations in scholarly communication, research networking, and research impact.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Wyszynski ◽  
Sonia Hernandez-Diaz ◽  
Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu ◽  
Noemi Ramiro ◽  
Archana Basu ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundPregnant and postpartum women face unique challenges and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus far, no studies have explored the factors associated with increased levels of worry in this population globally. The current study sought to assess the frequency and sources of worry during the COVID-19 pandemic in an international sample of pregnant and postpartum women.MethodsWe conducted an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey in 64 countries between May and June 2020. The survey was available in 12 languages and hosted on the Pregistry platform for COVID-19 studies. Participants were sought mainly on social media platforms and online parenting forums. The survey included questions related to demographics, level of worry, support, stress, COVID-19 exposure, frequency of media usage, and mental health indicators.ResultsThe study included 7,561 participants. Eighty-three percent of all participants indicated that they were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ worried. Women 13-28 weeks pregnant were significantly more likely to indicate that they were ‘very worried’ compared to those who were postpartum or at other stages of pregnancy. When compared with women living in Europe, those in Africa, Asia and Pacific, North America and South/Latin America were more likely to have increased levels of worry, as were those who more frequently interacted with social media. Different forms of support and stress also had an impact upon level of worry, while indicators of stress and anxiety were positively associated with worry level.ConclusionPregnant and postpartum women are vulnerable to the changes in societal norms brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the factors associated with levels of worry within this population will enable society to address potential unmet needs and improve the current and future mental health of parents and children.


Author(s):  
Tengku Siti Aisha Tengku Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen ◽  
Aini Maznina A. Manaf

Islamic reality shows presents an alternative brand of entertainment for the Malaysian Muslim community. This television genre can also be perceived as an innovative form of da’wah. Through watching these shows, television viewers interested in faith-based content can increase their religious knowledge, educate themselves on the Islamic beliefs and practices, and identify with suitable Muslim role models featured on these shows. Thus, a major focus of this study is to examine use of social media and television viewing related to Islamic reality shows among Malaysian undergraduate students. The uses and gratification approach postulates that individual differences, such as viewer religiosity may influence media selection and use. Therefore, we propose that those who perceive religion more positively would be more interested in da’wah content, and would therefore be more likely to use Twitter to follow accounts related to the show. A cross-sectional survey is carried out among undergraduate students enrolled in introductory Islamic revealed knowledge and human sciences courses from the International Islamic University of Malaysia (N = 321). Among others, findings indicate that religious individuals are more likely to follow the Twitter account of their favorite Islamic reality show. Also, while viewer religiosity initially influenced frequency of viewing Islamic reality shows, those who tweeted frequently about the show is also more likely to view Islamic reality shows frequently. Finally, those who gratified their relaxation needs by following their favorite Islamic reality show personality on Twitter is more likely to view the show frequently. The repercussions of these findings on the role of religiosity and its effects on social media use and television viewing, based on the uses and gratification perspective is discussed in the paper. Keywords: Islamic Reality Shows, Religiosity, Television Viewing, Twitter Following Motivations, Uses and Gratification theory. Abstrak Program realiti Islamik merupakan alternatif buat penggemar rancangan hiburan berunsur keagamaan di Malaysia. Genre program televisyen ini juga boleh dipergunakan sebagai salah satu cara untuk berdakwah mengenai Islam.  Dengan menonton program realiti Islamik, penonton boleh memupuk minat terhadap Islam, meningkatkan pengetahuan tentang Islam, mempelajari ilmu Islam dengan lebih mudah dan mengenali secara lebih dekat pendakwah muda yang terlibat dalam rancangan berkenaan. Oleh itu, salah satu objektif utama kajian ini ialah untuk meneliti penggunaan media sosial dan tontonan program realiti Islamik dikalangan pelajar universiti Malaysia. Bersandarkan theori uses and gratification, tingkahlaku dan latar belakang penonton memainkan peranan penting dalam mempengaruhi penggunaan media dikalangan individu. Dengan itu, kami menyarankan bahawa mereka yang mempunyai persepsi yang lebih positif terhadap agama akan mempunyai minat yang lebih mendalam terhadap agama, dan jesteru itu lebih cenderung untuk menggunakan Twitter untuk mendapatkan maklumat tentang program tersebut. Borang soal selidik telah disebarkan dikalangan pelajar Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Malaysia yang sedang mengikuti kursus asas dalam bidang sains sosial dan ilmu wahyu (N = 321). Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa mereka yang berminat dengan agama lebih cenderung untuk mengikut akaun Twitter peserta program realiti Islamik. Juga, frekuensi menonton program realiti Islamik lebih dipengaruhi oleh kadar penggunaan Twitter berbanding dengan kadar keagamaan. Akhir sekali, mereka yang mempunya persepsi bahawa program realiti Islamik adalah program televisyen yang santai akan lebih cenderung untuk menonton program itu dimasa hadapan. Impak dapatan kajian terhadap theori uses and gratification serta pengaruh keagamaan terhadap pengunaaan media sosial dan kecenderungan untuk menonton program realiti Islamik di kaca televisyen akan dibincangkan dengan lebih mendalam. Kata Kunci: Program realiti Islamik, Keagamaan, Tontonan Televisyen, Motivasi Penggunaan Twitter, Theori Uses and Gratification.  


Author(s):  
Sunmisola Eniola Peters ◽  
Usman Adekunle Ojedokun

The benefits embedded in the use of social media for policing and law enforcement are increasingly becoming recognized globally. Despite the growing popularity of social media in Nigeria, empirical information on the disposition of police personnel toward their adoption for policing and crime investigation are generally scarce. Therefore, this study investigated the use of social media for policing and crime prevention among 122 police officers serving at the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command. The research design was descriptive and cross-sectional. Survey questionnaire and key informant interview methods were employed for data collection. Results indicated that respondents were generally positively disposed toward the adoption of social media for policing and crime prevention (c<sup>2</sup> =13.68; <em>p </em>> .05). Although social media platforms were being used for different police duties, 47.0% of the respondents identified intelligence gathering as the major purpose for which they were being used. The majority of the officers (77.2%) claimed that they had not been exposed to any form of training regarding social media usage for policing. It is pertinent for the Nigeria Police Force to professionally train its officers on the use of social media platforms for policing and law enforcement.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego F. Wyszynski ◽  
Sonia Hernandez-Diaz ◽  
Vanessa Gordon-Dseagu ◽  
Noemi Ramiro ◽  
Archana Basu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pregnant and postpartum women face unique challenges and concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus far, no studies have explored the factors associated with increased levels of worry in this population globally. The current study sought to assess the frequency and sources of worry during the COVID-19 pandemic in an international sample of pregnant and postpartum women. Methods We conducted an anonymous, online, cross-sectional survey in 64 countries between May and June 2020. The survey was available in 12 languages and hosted on the Pregistry platform for COVID-19 studies. Participants were sought mainly on social media platforms and online parenting forums. The survey included questions related to demographics, level of worry, support, stress, COVID-19 exposure, frequency of media usage, and mental health indicators. Results The study included 7561 participants. Eighty-three percent of all participants indicated that they were either ‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ worried. Women 13–28 weeks pregnant were significantly more likely to indicate that they were ‘very worried’ compared to those who were postpartum or at other stages of pregnancy. When compared with women living in Europe, those in Africa, Asia and Pacific, North America and South/Latin America were more likely to have increased levels of worry, as were those who more frequently interacted with social media. Different forms of support and stress also had an impact upon level of worry, while indicators of stress and anxiety were positively associated with worry level. Conclusion Pregnant and postpartum women are vulnerable to the changes in societal norms brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the factors associated with levels of worry within this population will enable society to address potential unmet needs and improve the current and future mental health of parents and children.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hee Yun Lee ◽  
Yan Luo ◽  
Cho Rong Won ◽  
Jiyoung Lee ◽  
Jeongwon Baik

BACKGROUND The use of social media or social networking sites (SNS) is increasing across all age groups, and one of the primary motives of using SNS is to seek health-related information. Although previous research examining the effect of SNS use on depression exist, studies regarding the effect of SNS use for health purpose on depression is limited. OBJECTIVE Our study aims to explore the relationship between SNS use for health purpose and depression across the four age groups (18-34 years old, 35-49 years old, 50-64 years old, and above 65 years old). METHODS A sample of 6,789 adults aged 18 and older was extracted from a 2017 and 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). Univariate and bivariate analyses to examine the association between each variable and four age groups were conducted. Multiple linear regression analyses to predict depression level among participants with use of SNS for health purpose were conducted. RESULTS SNS use for health purpose and depression were positively associated for three age groups but not for those 65 years or older (=0.13, P<0.05; =0.08, P<0.05; =0.09, P<0.05). Income and self-reported health status indicated an inverse relationship for all age groups. The relationship with marital status differed based on age group with 18 and 34 years old showing an inverse relationship (=-0.13, P<0.01) while 65 years or older showing a positive relationship (=0.06, P<0.05). Gender was positively associated among those in the 35-49 years old (=0.09, P<0.05) and 65 years or older (=0.07, P<0.05). Being Non-Hispanic White was positively associated with depression among 50-64 years old (=0.07, P<0.001) and 65 years or older (=0.08, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Age-tailored education on determining accurate and reliable information shared via SNS is needed to reduce depressive symptoms.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaoyu Ye ◽  
Kevin K.W. Ho ◽  
Andre Zerbe

Purpose This study aims to clarify the effects of different patterns of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram usage on user loneliness and well-being in Japan. Design/methodology/approach Based on responses to a self-report questionnaire in Japan, 155 university students were separated into 4 groups: users of Twitter only, users of Twitter and Facebook, users of Twitter and Instagram and users of all three social media. The effects of social media usage on loneliness and well-being for each group were analysed. Findings No social media usage effects on loneliness or well-being were detected for those who used only Twitter or both Twitter and Instagram. For those using both Twitter and Facebook, loneliness was reduced when users accessed Twitter and Facebook more frequently but was increased when they posted more tweets. Users of all three social media were lonelier and had lower levels of well-being when they accessed Facebook via PC longer; whereas their their access time of Facebook via smartphones helped them decrease loneliness and improve their levels of well-being. Originality/value The findings reported here provide possible explanations for the conflicting results reported in previous research by exploring why users choose different social media platforms to communicate with different groups of friends or acquaintances and different usage patterns that affect their loneliness and well-being.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-22
Author(s):  
KR Pandey ◽  
DR Panday ◽  
P Pyakurel ◽  
S Marahatta ◽  
SP Rimal ◽  
...  

Background: COVID-19, a global health crisis of the 21st century, has threatened possibly every aspect of human life. Since the pandemic is not yet over, this study was carried out among undergraduate students of a medical institute in Nepal to assess and boost their KAP status on the disease. Material and methods: It was an online cross-sectional census survey performed among consenting undergraduate healthcare students of BPKIHS. A self-made and validated questionnaire assessing KAP on COVID-19 was prepared in Google form and distributed online among target students. The study population was 745. Both descriptive and inferential analysis of the data was performed. Student’s T-Test and one-way ANOVA were applied for which level of statistical significance was kept at p<0.05. Results: Ninety-six students participated in a pilot-study (Cronbach α= 0.792). The response rate was 76.27%. Most participants (76.76%) were from Nepal.  The male/female ratio was 0.76. Most (59.2%) had not participated in such studies before. For 93.54%, the source of information was the internet. Assessed by questionnaire, right Knowledge (n=16) was 85.06% ± 8.81%; right Attitude (n=6) was 65.00% ± 16.16 and right Practice (n=6) was 82.88%± 8.50%. Male were more knowledgeable about the disease (p=0.011). However, females secured higher in practical aspects (p=0.000). Indian students possessed better knowledge (p=0.005) and a better attitude (p=0.033). MBBS students had better knowledge (p=0.000), but Nursing students secured higher in Practice (p=0.012). Attitude is better in the earlier years (p=0.045). Conclusion: We assessed KAP related to COVID-19 via score among healthcare undergraduate students. Different co-factors do impact students’ overall KAP status.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mezna A. AlMarzooqi

Background: Social media became an integral part of the lives of people because it encourages social relations and shares interests, activities, and real-life connections. As quarantine and lockdown orders are prolonged, many people, as well as those physically active individuals, typically responded to this stressful condition by using social media platforms.Objective: This study aimed to examine the level of physical activity of physically active individuals and their attitudes toward social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among physically active individuals in Saudi Arabia between June 2020 and July 2020. An online survey was employed among eligible participants who completed a self-administered questionnaire that covered reasons for physical activity and attitudes toward social media platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: Of these 323 participants, 29.1% were in the age group of 18–24 years, 66.6% were women, and 67.8% were single. The proportion of participants whose metabolic equivalent of tasks-min/week from vigorous activity &lt;1,680 was 31.9%, and all of the participants follow people or pages in social media related to sports teams and fitness models. The average number of hours spent on social media per day was 2.95 ± 0.90 h. The majority of the participants showed positive attitudes toward social media used for exercise and physical activity. Of the eight variables, age, level of physical activity, and the average of hours spent on social media emerged as significant predictors of attitudes toward the use of social media (P &lt; 0.05).Conclusions: The present survey results indicate adverse consequences of home quarantine as reflected by a small proportion of participants who had differences in levels of vigorous activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Social media appears to be a key avenue to promote and disseminate health interventions to promote physical activity during this COVID-19 pandemic.


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