A Study to Assess Instagram Addiction among B Sc. Nursing Students at Selected Nursing Colleges, at Mangaluru

Abstract

With the world's rapid advancements in mobile Internet technology, social media has become increasingly significant in people's lives. After years of development, it has played a more varied function in society. Social media is now a tool for offering consumers a variety of services in addition to serving as a platform for mass communication. Instagram is a well-known social networking site focusing mainly on photo and video sharing. Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger founded Instagram in October 2010; it gained popularity fast and was purchased by Facebook in 2012. Instagram, the social network with the highest growth rate globally, is an excellent example of social media in contemporary culture. This study aims to evaluate the extent of student Instagram addiction. The purpose of the current study was to assess the degree of Instagram addiction among B.Sc. nursing students at Mangaluru and determine whether there was any correlation between Instagram addiction and certain demographic factors. Ethical clearance was obtained from the MECT Ethics Committee for conducting the study. A cross-sectional research design was employed in the study, and written informed consent was obtained from the participants; samples were selected using a disproportionate stratified random sampling technique. Data were gathered using the Instagram Addiction Scale, dependability was assessed using Cronbach's reliability test, and an alpha value of 0.931 was found for the entire inventory. Data was gathered from 100 B.Sc. nursing students from selected nursing colleges. The bulk of the samples (51%) exhibited low addiction, followed by average addiction (35%), prone addiction (6%), definite addiction (1%), and no addiction (7%) among the students. The degree of Instagram addiction was found to be significantly correlated with a few selected socio-demographic characteristics, including age and place of residence, at 0.05 levels (P<0.05). According to a recent study, treating Instagram addiction may require concentrating on various preventative strategies. It is possible to prevent and lessen Instagram addiction by raising awareness of the variables that lead to it. It's also beneficial to look for different sources of enjoyment, satisfy social demands, and enhance self-awareness.