Abstract

<p>This study investigated the comparative effectiveness of mindfulness therapy and social learning therapy in addressing social media addiction among students in tertiary institutions in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Recognizing the growing prevalence of addictive social media behavior and its impact on academic performance and mental health, the study adopted a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. A total of 40 students from two universities were selected using purposive sampling. The Social Media Addiction Questionnaire developed by Idiedo and Omamomo (2023), with a reliability index of 0.74, was adapted as the primary data collection instrument. The 20-item questionnaire employed a 4-point Likert scale to gauge levels of addiction.</p>
<p>Three research questions and corresponding hypotheses guided the investigation. The interventions were carried out separately using mindfulness-based techniques and social learning-based methods. Data were analyzed using the t-test to determine the significance of differences in addiction levels before and after treatment.</p>
<p>Findings revealed that mindfulness therapy alone did not significantly reduce social media addiction. In contrast, social learning therapy showed a statistically significant effect in reducing addiction among both male and female students. However, when comparing both interventions, results indicated that there was no significant difference in their overall effectiveness in reducing social media addiction. This suggests that while social learning therapy may produce more immediate observable results, both approaches can contribute positively to behavioral change over time.</p>
<p>The study concludes that both mindfulness and social learning therapies are viable tools for addressing excessive social media use among university students. It recommends the incorporation of these therapies by university counselors, lecturers, and student affairs professionals to foster healthier digital habits and promote positive behavioral transformation</p>