Influence of Social Media on Mental Health among University Students in Uganda: A Case of Selected Institutions in Kigezi Region

Abstract

Introduction: Social media has become integral to university students' communication, social interaction, learning, and entertainment, but intensive engagement has raised concerns about psychological well-being. Although associations between social media use and depression, anxiety, and other forms of psychological distress have been documented internationally, evidence from university populations in Uganda remains limited, particularly in the Kigezi Sub-region. This study examined the relationship between social media utilisation and mental health among university students at Kabale University and Bishop Barham University in Uganda. Methodology: A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. The quantitative component targeted 366 university students selected using simple random sampling, of whom 320 completed the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 87.4%. Social media utilisation and mental health were assessed using a structured questionnaire, with depression and anxiety assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), respectively. Twenty academic staff were purposively selected for key informant interviews. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and regression analysis, while qualitative data were analysed thematically. Results: Social media utilisation was associated with both adverse and potentially supportive psychological experiences. Prominent adverse experiences included sleep disruption, interference with daily activities, reduced face-to-face interaction, impaired concentration, emotional distress, stress, social comparison, and dependence on online validation. Conversely, students also perceived social media as a source of emotional support, social connection, and positive stress coping. Social media utilisation was positively and significantly associated with depression (r = .359, p < .001) and anxiety (r = .168, p = .003), with a stronger association observed for depression. Regression analysis further indicated a statistically significant association between social media utilisation and the specified mental health outcome (R = .726, R² = .528, adjusted R² = .526, reported coefficient = 2.276, p < .001, 95% CI [2.03, 2.52]). Qualitative findings supported the quantitative results, with academic staff identifying excessive social media engagement as contributing to poor concentration, academic distraction, stress, anxiety, emotional distress, and increased counselling needs, while also acknowledging its benefits for communication and social support. Conclusion and Implications: Social media utilisation is significantly associated with university students' mental health, although its implications are multidimensional and depend on the nature and intensity of engagement. While constructive use may enhance social connection and emotional support, intensive or poorly regulated engagement is associated with greater psychological distress, particularly depressive symptoms. Universities should therefore integrate digital well-being education into student support programmes, strengthen counselling and psychological services, and promote balanced and responsible social media engagement. Given the cross-sectional design, the findings establish association rather than causality; longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction and mechanisms linking social media utilisation to mental health.