Published Article

This study investigated the underlying effect of low self-esteem and poor communication skills on Facebook addiction among college students. This research is a quantitative type and Expost –Facto design was adopted for the study carried out in Imo State. The targeted population for the study comprised of all college students in Imo State. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 200 respondents for the study. The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire entitled “Facebook Addiction Questionnaire (FAQ)”.  Face and content validation of the instrument was carried out by an expert in test, measurement, and evaluation in order to ensure that the instrument was accurate for the study. The reliability coefficient obtained was 0.89 and this was high enough to justify the use of the instrument. The researcher subjected the data generated to appropriate statistical technique where regression analysis was used to test the hypothesis. The findings of the research revealed that there is 71% effect of low self-esteem on Facebook addiction among college student in Imo State and also that there is 55% effect of poor communication skill on Facebook addiction among college students in Imo State. The study concluded that Social media, especially Facebook is integral to college students' lives, but excessive use can lead to addiction, impacting mental health, well-being, and academics.  One of the recommendations was that there is need to provide information on healthy social media habits, such as setting time limits, managing privacy settings, and recognising the signs of addiction.

Keywords: Self-esteem, communication skills, Facebook addiction and college students.