Internet Addiction and Correlates Among Tertiary Students in a Sub-Saharan African Country – Case of KNUST, Ghana: A Follow Up Study

Christian  Amoah; Nceba Z.  Somhlaba; Frances Owusu-Ansah; Ebenezer Ansah; Benjamin Amoah

doi:10.4314/just.v41i2.1336

Mr. Christian Amoah SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Prof. Nceba Z. Somhlaba Stellenbosch University in South Africa
Dr. Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah Department of Behavioural Sciences at the School of Medicine & Dentistry Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology
Mr. Ebenezer Otu Ayeboafo Ansah Records Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital
Mr. Benjamin Amoah

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/just.v41i2.1336

Keywords: Internet addiction, Students, Loneliness, Self-Esteem, Satisfaction with Life

Abstract

Background: A major drawback of the revolutionary technology of the internet is the tendency
for addiction. Internet addiction (IA) is a modern menace affecting mostly the youth. Preventive
counseling (PC) is needed to deal with this growing public health concern, however empirical
data as a basis in terms of prevalence and corelates are non – existent in Ghana. Objectives:
This study aimed to assess the prevalence of IA and its psychological corelates among Kwame
Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) students. Methods: Online cross-sectional
method was used to survey one thousand, one hundred and sixty-five (1,165) students. Internet
Addiction Test (IAT), Beck’s Depressive Inventory (BDI), Index of Self-Esteem (ISE), Revised UCLA
Loneliness Scale (RULS) and Satisfaction with Life (SWL) measures were used for data collection.
The data were analyzed using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25. Results:
36.2% of the study participants (SPs) were normal internet users and 39%, 19.0% and 1.1% were
mildly, moderately and severely addicted to the internet respectively with no responses from
4.7% of the study sample. Also, with higher scores indicating greater magnitude of problem,
there were significant positive correlations between IAT and their Self-esteem (r = 0.288, N=
1165, p = 0.000), loneliness (r = 0.228, N= 1165, p = 0.000) and depression (r = 0.270, N= 1165, p
= 0.000) scores. Moreover, there was a significant inverse relationship with their IAT and SWL
(r = - 0.209, p = 0.000) scores. Conclusion: Approximately 1% of KNUST students sampled need
addictive psychotherapeutic intervention. Also 58% with mild and moderate addiction may
need preemptive counselling since they stand the chance of continuing to the severe end of
IA continuum. Implications for policy, promotion of preventive health behaviors and clinical
intervention at the institutional and national levels have been discussed.

Author Biographies

Mr. Christian Amoah, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

CHRISTIAN AMOAH, holds MPhil in Psychology (Clinical option) from the
University of Ghana, Legon, Accra. He is a Lecturer and a Clinical Psychologist with
the Behavioural Sciences department, School of Medicine and Dentistry (SMD),
KNUST, Kumasi. He is also a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Komfo Anokye
Teaching Hospital (KATH), psychiatric department, Kumasi, Ghana since 2002. His
research interests include preventive health behaviors (such as internet addiction,
breast self- examination), obesity, bereavement, counseling support for IVF, COVID-
19 etc. He is a member of Ghana Psychological Council and currently a PhD Student
with the Department of Psychology, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South
Africa.

Prof. Nceba Z. Somhlaba, Stellenbosch University in South Africa

NCEBA Z. SOMHLABA holds a D.Phil. from the Stellenbosch University in South Africa. He is an Associate Professor and a Clinical Psychologist with the Department of Psychology, Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South-Africa. Research interests include but are not limited to Stress, Coping, Bereavement, Internet Addiction, Breast Cancer, Breast Self- Examination Knowledge, Attitude and Performance, Obesity, Counseling Support for In-vitro Fertilization, COVID-19 etc.

Dr. Frances Emily Owusu-Ansah, Department of Behavioural Sciences at the School of Medicine & Dentistry Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

FRANCES EMILY OWUSU-ANSAH is an Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the School of Medicine & Dentistry, KNUST. She holds a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Florida State University, USA, having graduated in 2003. Aside lecturing, she practices as a licensed psychologist and is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA, division 12). She researches in the area of mental health promotion, disability and subjective wellbeing. She is a recipient of several awards including the prestigious James Chair Psychology Award from St. Francis Xavier University, Nova Scotia, Canada, her Alma Mater.

Mr. Ebenezer Otu Ayeboafo Ansah, Records Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital

EBENEZER OTU AYEBOAFO ANSAH holds an HND Statistics and a Certificate in B. Tech Applied Statistics (Health statistics Option). He is currently a Bio- Statistician with the Records Department, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.

Mr. Benjamin Amoah

BENJAMIN AMOAH holds a Masters in Employment & Labour Studies from theinstitute of Social Studies at The Hagues, The Netherlands. He is an independent Researcher and an expert in Human Resource with Seljen Consult in Accra, Ghana.