INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND FILM INDUSTRIES ON THE PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OF PUBLIC SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ENUGU STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

This study was on influence of social media and film industries on the psychosocial development of public secondary school students from Enugu state Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. Four research question and two null hypotheses guided the study. The population of the study was the entire senior (SSI, II, III) secondary students in public schools of Enugu State totalling about 26,600 students. The sample size consisted of 2000 students drawn using simple random sampling techniques. The research question was a researcher developed questionnaire made up of 43 items grouped into four clusters. Six research assistants helped in the distribution of the questionnaires which were all returned. The data collected was analysed using mean and standard deviation scores for research question 1,2,3 and 4 while the hypothesis were tested using -t- test for mean scores. The findings revealed among others that social media and films are like a double edged sword which has both advantages and disadvantages. This is because both social media and film industry were seen to have great influences on the psychosocial (psychological and social) development of the students. The following recommendations were made and they include the need to censor films and information passed by the media, the involvement of moral persons in educational institutes, need to organize seminars and conferences and active engagement of counsellors in life adjustment processes of the adolescents.