Impact of Addictive Screen Use on Quality of Life, Burnout, and Psychiatric Morbidity among Nigerian University Undergraduates: A cross-sectional Analysis from Ahmadu Bello University, Northwest Nigeria

Abstract

The digital era has seen a surge in screen-based engagements among youth, particularly university students, raising concerns about behavioral addiction and its psychosocial ramifications. This study investigated the prevalence and impact of addictive screen use on burnout, psychiatric morbidity, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among undergraduates at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria. Across-sectional study was conducted among 450 undergraduate students selected using multistage random sampling method. Validated instruments; Smartphone Addiction Scale Short Version (SAS-SV), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), MINI International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI v7.0), and World Health Organization's Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQoL-BREF) were used for assessment. Data were analyzed using IBM-SPSS version 29, with chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression performed at a 95% confidence level. The prevalence of addictive screen use was 72.2% (n = 325), burnout 61.1% (n = 275), depression 47.8% (n = 215), anxiety 42.2% (n = 190), suicidality 17.8% (n = 80), and poor overall HRQoL65.6% (n = 295). Addictive screen use was significantly associated with burnout (χ² = 24.36, p < 0.001), depression (χ² = 19.87, p < 0.001), anxiety (χ² = 21.40, p < 0.001), suicidality (χ² = 10.23, p = 0.0014), and poor HRQoL(χ² = 28.55, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed addictive screen use independently predicted burnout (AOR = 2.35), depression (AOR = 2.87), anxiety (AOR = 2.41), and suicidality (AOR = 1.95). Poor HRQoLwas also a strong predictor of these outcomes. Addictive screen use is highly prevalent among Nigerian undergraduates and is significantly linked to adverse mental health outcomes and diminished quality of life. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions, digital wellness education, and policy reforms to mitigate the growing mental health burden in university settings.