Social Media Addiction in the Least Developed Countries: a quantitative study among university students in Afghanistan

Year 2021, Volume: 9 Issue: 2, 233 - 245, 21.07.2021

Rahmatullah Haand Ahmad Elham

Abstract

This study examines social media addiction phenomenon and their application among universities students. Uses and gratifications and media systems dependency theories were used as a theoretical framework. A same dataset that was firstly collected and developed for ‘The relationship between social media addiction and depression: a quantitative study among university students in Khost, Afghanistan’ was used. Probability-stratified sampling method was used, and a 35-items questionnaire was distributed to replicate Kimberly Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Three hundred eighty-four students from three universities of Afghanistan participated. The study found that social media addiction existed at various levels among the respondents. Findings confirmed both theories regardless of the sociopolitical environment such as political stability, low literacy level, a weak economy, and conflict in the least developed countries like Afghanistan. Besides that, the result showed that Facebook was the leading, regularly used social media platform among other online platforms. Facebook was used for social purposes and mostly for obtaining news and maintaining relationships. These findings mainly confirm the main argument of the Media Systems Dependency theory.

Keywords

Social Media Addiction, The least developed countries, Uses and Gratifications, Media System Dependency, Khost, Afghanistan

Supporting Institution

Not available

Project Number

Not available

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