Internet Addiction among In-School Adolescents in Ibadan Metropolis: Gender, Prevalence, and Types of Addictive Online Activities

Kecanduan Internet pada Remaja yang Bersekolah di Kota Metropolitan Ibadan: Gender, Prevalensi, dan Jenis Aktivitas Online yang Menyebabkan Kecanduan

Abstract

The increasing use of the internet among adolescents has generated growing concerns regarding excessive and problematic internet use, particularly among secondary school students. This study investigated internet addiction among in-school adolescents in Ibadan Metropolis with specific emphasis on its prevalence, the types of internet activities to which adolescents are mostly addicted, and gender differences in internet addiction. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A sample of 1,360 adolescents was selected using a multistage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire incorporating the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) developed by Young (1998). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and t-test at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that 59.0% of the respondents exhibited normal internet use, whereas 40.1% demonstrated moderate internet addiction and 0.9% experienced severe internet addiction. Overall, 41.0% of the adolescents exhibited moderate to severe internet addiction, indicating that problematic internet use is prevalent among in-school adolescents in Ibadan Metropolis. Regarding internet usage, Google browsing and searching (38.5%) emerged as the most common online activity, followed by online gaming (28.3%), social media use (21.8%), and watching films, YouTube, and listening to music (11.3%). Furthermore, the study revealed a statistically significant gender difference in internet addiction, with male adolescents (M = 47.88, SD = 13.14) recording significantly higher internet addiction scores than female adolescents (M = 44.90, SD = 13.51) (t(1358) = -4.049, p < .001). The study concludes that internet addiction is an emerging behavioural and public health concern among in-school adolescents in Ibadan Metropolis, with a substantial proportion of adolescents demonstrating problematic internet use. Schools should strengthen digital literacy education and establish school-based counselling programmes on responsible internet use.