INFLUENCE OF INTERNET ADDICTION AND GAMBLING PASSION ON ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT OF PUBLIC UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

This study explored the influence of internet addiction and gambling passion on the academic engagement of public university students in Anambra State. The study was guided by four specific purposes: To examine the influence of internet addiction on academic engagement of students in public universities in Anambra State; To determine the influence of gambling passion on academic engagement of students in public universities in Anambra State; To ascertain the influence of internet addiction on academic engagement of male and female students in public universities in Anambra State; To find out the influence of gambling passion on academic engagement of male and female students in public universities in Anambra State. Four research questions and four null hypotheses guided the study. Conceptual, Theoretical and Empirical studies were reviewed. The research adopted a descriptive survey design. The study population was 49664, 18361 male and 31303 female students of public universities in Anambra State, between the ages 18 to 28 years. A total of 394 participants, aged 18 to 28, were selected from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University using simple random and convenience sampling techniques. The instruments for data collection were standardized instruments titled Internet Addiction Scale, Gambling Passion Scale, and Student’s Academic Engagement Questionnaire. The instruments were subjected to face validation. The reliability of the instrument was obtained. Mean and standard deviations were used to answer research questions while null hypotheses were tested using t-test statistics at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that internet addiction significantly influenced the academic engagement of public university students (t (392) = 19.6, p< 0.05). Similarly, gambling passion had a significant influence on academic engagement (t (392) = 12.3, p< 0.05). Additionally, internet addiction was found to significantly influence the academic engagement of both male and female students (t (392) = 0.28, p< 0.05), and gambling passion significantly influenced the academic engagement of male and female students (t (392) = 1.57, p< 0.05). Based on these findings, it is recommended that counselling and support services be provided by universities to students struggling with internet addiction and gambling passion to help them regain focus and enhance their academic engagement.