The Psychosocial Effects Of Mobile Phone Usage Among The Youth: The Case Of A Selected Christian University

Abstract

This study’s aim was to investigate the psychosocial effects of mobile phone among the youth. This is because the mobile phone has become ‘a must have’ technological tool among many youths in Kenya and beyond. It has ended up bringing different effects in the lives of many users and of great concern to the negative ones. Through the findings of this research, it was found that some negative psychological and social effects amongst the students can be attributed to their mobile phone usage. The study was carried out in a Christian University among the students aged between 18 and 25 years. 120 respondents were selected in a stratified manner from the various programmes and years of study. All of them had used mobile phone with majority (98%), for a period between 2 – 10 years. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The findings revealed that majority of the students (83.8%) were aware of the negative effects that might result from the continued use of mobile phone. The following were some of the negative psychosocial effects found among the respondents: financial challenges, cheating, stealing, stress, anxiety, and mobile phone addiction.