Social Media Addiction and Mental Health Among College Students

Mental health remains a critical priority, as individuals with good mental well-being tend to experience a higher quality of life. However, mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and psychological distress are increasingly prevalent among university students. One contributing factor to these issues is the excessive use of social media, driven by rapid technological advancements. This study aims to empirically examine the relationship between social media addiction and mental health among university students. A quantitative approach was employed, with the population consisting of students from University X. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling, involving a total of 111 students. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s product-moment correlation to test the research hypothesis. The results indicated a significant negative relationship between social media addiction and students’ mental health (r = -0.407; p < 0.01). These findings suggest that the higher the level of social media addiction, the lower the level of mental health among students, and vice versa.