SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE AND DRUG ABUSE AMONG ADOLESCENT

SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN OBIO/AKPOR LOCAL

GOVERNMENT AREA, RIVERS STATE.

BY

MOSES, NSIKAN A.
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER EDUCATION,
IGNATIUS AJURU UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION,
RUMUOLUMENI, PORT HARCOURT,
RIVERS STATE.
 Abstract

This study explored the relationship between social media exposure and drug abuse among
adolescent secondary school students in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State,
Nigeria. Two (2) research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The study
adopted correlational method of ex-post facto research design. The target population of this
study comprises of all public secondary school (2) students in the 25 local government areas
of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State with a sample size of 500 students from
the three Senatorial District in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State. This
sample represents 10% of the population, drawn through the multi-stage procedure and
stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was an adopted
questionnaire, which include social media scale (SMS) developed by Osharive (2015) and
Drug abuse scale (DAS) developed by Aleke (2013). The instrument had a reliability
coefficient of .78 and .69 for social media scale and drug abuse scale respectively.
Correlation was used to answer research questions while the two hypotheses were tested
using regression model statistics at .05 level of significance. The findings of the study
revealed that there is a significant relationship between social media and drug abuse among
adolescent students, and also school type has a significant moderating impact in the
relationship between social media and drug abuse among adolescent’s students in secondary
schools in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State. Based on the findings, it was
concluded that social media correlated with drug abuse among adolescent’s secondary school
students; while it was recommended that parents, educators and members of the community
should monitor and guide the students on appropriate use of social media in order to reduce
its effect on drug abuse by adolescent students.
Keywords: Social Media, Drug abuse, Students, Adolescents.
Introduction

Drug abuse is one of the social ills afflicting adolescent’s population in Nigeria today.
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (2008) reported that illicit
drug abuse is forming a student sub- culture in Nigeria. Ajibutu (2014) lamented that youths
are the most vulnerable on hard drugs with the adverse effects on communities in Nigeria.
Despite societal disapproval of drug abuse behaviour, different segment of the population
are fully involved in it. The segment of the population that engaged mostly in this web are
adolescents within the age of 14-25 years, students within this range may be affected
academically in terms of their academic achievement (Akpokiniovo, 2022). These
adolescents are mostly in their secondary level of education or undergraduates students in the
tertiary institutions. Adolescence is a time of experimentation, exploration, curiosity and
identity search. part of such quest involve some risk taking, including the use and abuse of
psychoactive substances, which are drugs that exert their major effects on the brain resulting
in sedation, stimulation and change in the mood of an individual (Oliha, 2014). Students
with disordered online social media networking use had a higher tendency to experience
problematic drinking and difficulties with emotion regulation. Hormes, Kearns and Timko
(2014). As opined by Samuel, George, Ogbu, Agaba and

Cannabis such as marijuana or Indian hemp (cannabis sativa) is a drug mostly used by
adolescents, hallucinogens e.g lysergic acid, diethylamide (LSD) produced in crystalline
form but mixed with liquid to be taken in, the adolescent may experience extreme changes in
mood shifts time and impulsive behaviour. Tranquilizers reduce anxiety tension, stress.
Examples are valium and Librium which leads to withdrawal syndrome and can be life
threating. Whyte, Torre, Barker and Gourley, (2018). The effects of psychoactive drug abuse
among adolescent students include truancy, stealing, vandalism, poor academic performance,
accidents, injuries, risky sexual behaviour, aggression, unwanted pregnancy, school dropout,
depression, loneliness, suicide, bullying, violence and even life-long addiction.

One of the factors suspected to have a relationship with drug abuse among secondary school
adolescents is social media. The advert of technology has been a thing of joy and
entertainment to people in the society and it has render many benefits to students by allowing
them learn more effectively and increase in academic engagement behaviour in and out of
the classroom settings which enable them to interact and share ideals among themselves
regardless of physical boundary (Odofin, 2019). Various forms of media have assumed
central roles in people’s daily lives. Adolescents are vulnerable to the effects of what they
see on social media, sites like Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat provide an environment
where teenagers are exposed to famous and normal people alike engaging in drugs and
alcohol. Adolescents are millennial and therefore, their daily life at home, at school and
even in their peer group is technology driven. Social media seems to dominate their lives.
They are constantly involved in the multi-tasking process: they attend to their lessons and
also send messages, chat on the social network and even view YouTube on their mobile
phones at the same time. Moreover, adolescents who are addicted to social media are likely
to suffer from drug abuse. (Gentile, Coyne & Walsh, 2011). In 2015, it was reported that
92% of teenagers aged 13 to 17 years reported going online daily. This makes them
vulnerable to all forms of substance use. This situation is made worst by the rampant
glorification of substance use by celebrities on social media. Most celebrities consistently
post pictures drinking and getting high on a variety of platforms, and that may influence the
young people that are viewing it. Yang, McCarron, Keller and Luo (2017), reported that,
there has been reports of social media been used as a strategy for selling drugs. In this way,
social media has open doors for their industries to market drugs to youngsters. additionally,
adolescents are not only exposed to celebrities and influencers engaging in this behaviour
but also their friends and families, making them believe it’s appropriate to do the same.
(Dalcin, Smool miller & Sargent, 2012).

Statement of the Problem

Drug abuse among adolescent secondary school students has become so rampant to the
point that it has become a great concern to parents, teachers and the society at large. The
rate at which students are engaging in drugs and alcohol consumption is so alarming. It has
become a very serious problem as the drugs are all easily available to the adolescents in
Nigeria which predisposes these youngsters to anti-social behaviour in the society. If this
problem continues, it can cause serious damage to the person’s physical, psychological,
mental, academic and even spiritual life and increase in social vices. There are several
factors that can cause this problem of drug abuse, such factors like social media exposure,
family background, peer group influence, poverty, depression, loneliness, frustration and
even parenting style. However, the researchers seem not to be certain about the influence of
social media exposure on drug abuse among senior secondary school students, hence this
study is carried out in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Research Questions

The following research questions guided the study;

1. What is the relationship between Facebook exposure and drug abuse among public senior
secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State?

2. What is the relationship between Instagram exposure and drug abuse among public senior
secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were formulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance:

1. There is no significant relationship between Facebook exposure and drug abuse among
public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

2. There is no significant relationship between Instagram exposure and drug abuse among
public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Review of Related Literature

Social Media

In the contemporary times social interactivity of an individual is evaluated from his presence
in the social media platforms and other associated applications (Shahnawaz & Rehman,
2020). The usage of social media websites has grown significantly (Sun & Zhang, 2020) due
to robust internet connectivity and advanced mobile features that allow ease of usage and
promote habitual behaviours (Kuss, 2017). The intensity, character and language on social
media platforms offer to advance social bonding and communication (Rinaldi & Farr, 2018).

The popularity of social media sites has been steadily increasing over the last few years, and
over 70 % of online adults are now using a social networking site of some kind. Many users
of social networking sites have more than one account, and check these accounts several
times daily (Doggan & Smith, 2013). But even as social media has been widely adopted by
many users, its use for higher education has also been questioned by educators. Although
faculty in higher education often utilizes social networking sites in a professional context,
many are reluctant to use social networking sites for teaching and learning.

The term “social media” (SM) was first used in 1994 on a Tokyo online media environment,
called Matisse (Aichner et al., 2021). It was in these early days of the commercial Internet
that the first SM platforms were developed and launched. Over time, both the number of SM
platforms and the number of active SM users have increased significantly, making it one of
the most important applications of the Internet. Social media is the term often used to refer to
new forms of media that involve interactive participation (Manning, 2014). Often the
development of media is divided into two different ages, the broadcast age and the interactive
age. In the broadcast age, media were almost exclusively centralized where one entity—such
as a radio or television station, newspaper company, or a movie production studio—
distributed messages to many people. Feedback to media outlets was often indirect, delayed,
and impersonal. Mediated communication between individuals typically happened on a much
smaller level, usually via personal letters, telephone calls, or sometimes on a slightly larger
scale through means such as photocopied family newsletters.

Jenkins in Gancho (2017) characterizes social media as a convergence culture: it translates

into media convergence, participatory culture and collective intelligence. Social media was
developed in this unique combination of these parameters (JENKINS, 2006). Media
convergence altered the “relationship between existing technologies, industries, markets,
genres, and audiences” and therefore might be considered a paradigm shifting culture. This
altered the logic traditional media operated on and by which consumer’s process news and
entertainment. The author believes this convergence is a process, not an end-point and we are
already living in this culture for quite some time now.

Common Forms of Social Media

Facebook: Facebook is a social networking website that was founded in February 2004 by
Harvard University students Chris Hughes, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo
Saverin and Mark Zuckerberg (Kerner, 2023). The idea behind Facebook was to provide an
online book of faces for university students to connect and share information. It was initially
a social network for Harvard and expanded in the following years to any university. It
eventually became a social network for anyone, anywhere in the world. The concept of a
social network was a nascent one in 2004 and not entirely unique. Other social networks that
were active at the time Facebook was created were Friendster, which was launched in 2002,
and MySpace, which was launched in 2003. Users post information, status updates and
pictures of themselves on social networks. These items are shared with friends, family and
communities of interest.
Twitter: Twitter is a free social networking site where users broadcast short posts known as
tweets. These tweets can contain text, videos, photos or links. To access Twitter, users need
an internet connection or smart phone to use the app or website, Twitter.com. It is
a microblogging service; a combination of blogging and instant messaging for registered
users to post, share, like and reply to tweets with short messages. Nonregistered users can
only read tweets. Hetler (2023) states that people use Twitter to get the latest updates and
promotions from brands; communicate with friends; and follow business leaders, politicians
and celebrities. They also use it to stay current on news and events. Twitter was the first
source to break the news of the water landing of US Airways Flight 549 in New York City's
Hudson River. Twitter is used to share information quickly. Because tweets can be delivered
to followers in real time, they might seem like instant messages (IM) to the novice user. But
unlike IMs that disappear when the user closes the application, tweets are also posted on the
Twitter website. They are permanent, searchable and public. There is also an option to protect
tweets so only followers can read tweets.

Instagram: Instagram is a free photo and video sharing app available on iPhone and
Android. People can upload photos or videos to our service and share them with their
followers or with a select group of friends. They can also view, comment and like posts
shared by their friends on Instagram. Anyone 13 and older can create an account by
registering an email address and selecting a username. Instagram is a photo and video-sharing
social media application that was launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom. The first prototype of
Instagram was a web app called Burbn, which was inspired by Systrom's love of fine
whiskeys and bourbons. The Instagram app was launched on Oct. 6, 2010, and racked up
25,000 users in one day (Blystone, 2022). From the beginning, the primary focus of the app
was to feature photographs, specifically those taken on mobile devices. Just prior
to Instagram's initial public offering (IPO) in 2012, Facebook acquired the company for $1
billion in cash and stock.

TikTok: TikTok (known in China as Douyin) is a short-lived video sharing app very famous
among teenagers around the world. Users use this app mainly to record themselves singing a
song in playback and moving their fingers in a very particular way called finger dance.
TikTok is a massively popular app that lets users create and share videos up to 60 seconds
long. Lip-synced music videos are especially popular on it. The app has given rise to a
number of young social media influencers. TikTok is a social app that allows users to make
short videos. Users can add filters, text, sounds, and music, and it is especially popular to
make creative, lip-synched music videos. Users scroll through a newsfeed, react to content,
and navigate with hashtags.

Drug

A drug is a substance that can be taken into the human body and, once taken, alters some
processes within the body. Drugs can be used in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of a
disease. Some drugs are used to kill bacteria and help the body recover from infections. Some
drugs assist in terminating headaches. Some drugs cross the blood–brain barrier and affect
neurotransmitter function. The varieties of drugs that produce a direct or indirect effect on
neurotransmitter function in the brain are of primary interest in this book. The World Health
Organization (WHO) defines drug as any substance which, introduced into the living
organism can modify one or more of its functions. The presence of drugs in many
civilizations goes back to time immemorial. Greeks and Romans deified wine with the figures
of Dionysus and Bacchus, respectively. Historically, drugs have been linked to magical-
religious rituals, celebrations and social events. Gradually their use became widespread in
other contexts. Some of these substances are natural in origin, as is the case with tobacco or
cannabis. Others are the result of chemical processes carried out using natural products, like
what occurs with alcoholic beverages, which are obtained from the fermentation or
distillation of grain or fruit juice. Drugs are also produced artificially. This is the case for
drugs for psychiatric use or for synthetic drugs (Nnachi, 2017).

A drug is a substance that can be taken into the human body and, once taken, alters some
processes within the body. Drugs can be used in the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of a
disease. Some drugs are used to kill bacteria and help the body recover from infections. Some
drugs assist in terminating headaches. Some drugs cross the blood–brain barrier and affect
neurotransmitter function. Drugs are processed by the body in four steps, and these drugs also
may have various effects on each other when used together.

Drug Abuse

Drug is seen as any product other than food or water that affects the way people feel, think,
see, and behave. It is a substance that due to its chemical nature affects physical, mental and
emotional functioning. It can enter the body through chewing, inhaling, smoking, drinking,
rubbing on the skin or injection. Drug abuse has become a global problem affecting everyone.
Addiction leads many young people into downhill of hopelessness that in some cases ends
fatal. They range from teenage bliss users, to hard core heroin and cocaine addicts. Drug
abuse is responsible for lost gross, destruction of property, bad health and broken homes. It is
a dilemma which affects all parents, teachers, government officials, workers and the entire
society (Nacada, 2005).

A drug refers to a substance that could bring about a change in the biological function of a
human being through its chemical actions. It is also considered as a substance that modifies
perceptions, cognition, mood, behavior and general body functions. The most commonly
used and abused substances globally are cigarettes, cannabis and alcohol. Alcohol and other
related problems are becoming more and more a public health concern globally; due to over
use and indiscriminate use of drugs (Okoye, 2019). Drug abuse refers to the harmful or
hazardous use of psychoactive substances, leading to dependence syndrome, significant
impairment, or distress (WHO, 2021). The consequences of drug abuse extend far beyond
individual health, affecting social relationships, economic stability, and public safety. The
history of drug abuse dates back centuries, with various substances being used for medicinal,
religious, or recreational purposes. However, the systematic misuse and addiction to drugs
became more prominent during the industrial revolution, coinciding with the mass production
and availability of substances. For example, the widespread use of opium and its derivatives
in the 19th century led to the first wave of global concern about drug abuse (Courtwright,
2001). Over the years, the spectrum of abused substances has expanded to include synthetic
drugs, designer drugs, and new psychoactive substances (NPS), posing new challenges to
healthcare professionals and policymakers.

Types of Drugs Abused by Students

Practically any substance whose ingestion can result in an exhilarated feeling can be abused.
While some are aware of the abuse of legal substances like alcohol or illegal drugs like
marijuana and cocaine. Well, it is known fact household cleaners most commonly abused
drugs. Other form of drugs like Indian hemp, which is usually produced in Nigeria and others
like methamphetamine, syrups and tablets with codeine capable of intoxicating are mostly
found in schools, motor parks, and even with local traders that sell provisions in kiosks. It is
noted that some of the drugs and types of drugs that are commonly abused result in
dependence by students. These are:

i) Alcohol: Alcohol is a toxic substance, mainly to a developing fetus when a mother

consumes this drug during pregnancy. One of the most common addictions, alcoholism
can have distressing effects on the alcoholic individual's physical health, as well as his or
 her ability to function interpersonally and at work. Example of alcohol, beer, ogogoro,
burukutu, aspetesi, pito, palmwine, sapelewater, kaikai. They all contain alcohol.
ii) Cocaine: This is a drug that stimulates the nervous system; cocaine can be snorted in
powder form, smoked when in the form of rocks, or injected when made into a liquid.
iii) Nicotine: The addictive substance found in cigarettes, nicotine is actually one of the most
addictive substances that exist. In fact, nicotine addiction is often compared to the intense
addictiveness associated with opiates like heroin.
iv) Phencyclidine: is referred to as PCP, this drug can cause the user to feel extremely
obsessed, quite aggressive and have an unusual amount of physical strength. This can
make the individual somewhat dangerous to others.
v) Sedative, hypnotic, or ant anxiety drugs: As these substances quash the nervous system,
they can cause death by respiratory arrest of the person who either uses these drugs in
overdose or who mixes one or more of these drugs with another nervous system
depressant drug.
vi) Marijuana/Cannabis: Marijuana is a psychoactive drug derived from the cannabis plant. It
is commonly smoked, vaped, or consumed as edibles. Marijuana abuse is widespread
among students, and attitudes toward its use have become more lenient in some regions.
Impaired memory, reduced cognitive function, mental health disorders, and potential
addiction are linked to marijuana abuse.
vii) Inhalants: Inhalants are substances that produce mind-altering effects when inhaled.
Common examples include solvents, aerosols, and nitrites. Students may abuse inhalants
due to their easy accessibility and low cost. However, inhalant abuse can cause serious
damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and other organs, leading to long-term health
complications.

Theoretical Review

Social Learning Theory

Social Learning Theory was formulated by psychologist Albert Bandura in the 1960s. Social
Learning Theory is a prominent theory that explains how individuals learn behaviors through
observation, imitation, and modeling. According to this theory, people acquire new
knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors by observing others and the consequences of their
actions. Social Learning Theory suggests that learning is a cognitive process that occurs in a
social context, and it emphasizes the role of observational learning and modeling in shaping
behavior. Moreover, Social Learning Theory suggests that the influence of social media on
drug use and academic achievement is not limited to direct observation. Students can also
learn through symbolic modeling, where they observe and imitate behaviors portrayed by
fictional characters or influencers on social media. This can further shape their attitudes,
beliefs, and behaviors related to drug use and academic performance. It is important to note
that Social Learning Theory does not solely focus on the influence of observational learning.
It also recognizes the reciprocal relationship between behavior, cognition, and the
environment. Individuals' thoughts, beliefs, and expectations can influence their behavior and
the way they interpret and respond to social cues. Therefore, in the context of social media
and drug use, students' pre-existing attitudes, beliefs, and self-efficacy can interact with the
observed behaviors to shape their own choices and actions.

Self-Control Theory

Self-Control Theory, also known as the General Theory of Crime, is a criminological theory
that focuses on the role of self-control in explaining criminal behavior. Developed by
criminologists Travis Hirschi and Michael Gottfredson in 1990, Self-Control Theory
proposes that individuals with low levels of self-control are more likely to engage in criminal
and deviant behaviors. According to Self-Control Theory, self-control is a stable individual
trait that develops early in childhood and remains relatively stable throughout a person's life.
It is influenced by various factors, including parenting practices, socialization, and genetic
predispositions. Individuals with low self-control tend to have difficulty controlling their
impulses, delaying gratification, and considering the long-term consequences of their actions.

Self-Control Theory emphasizes the role of self-control as a key factor in explaining criminal
behavior and other deviant behaviors. It suggests that individuals with low self-control are
more likely to engage in impulsive and immediate gratification-seeking behaviors, such as
drug use, which can negatively impact academic achievement. Understanding the influence
of self-control can help inform interventions and strategies aimed at promoting positive
behaviors and reducing the likelihood of engaging in drug use among secondary school
students.

Social Bond Theory

Social Bond Theory, also known as Social Control Theory, is a criminological theory that
focuses on the role of social bonds in preventing individuals from engaging in deviant
behavior. Developed by Travis Hirschi in 1969, Social Bond Theory suggests that individuals
are less likely to engage in criminal or delinquent activities when they have strong social
bonds with conventional society. Social Bond Theory highlights the importance of social
bonds in preventing individuals from engaging in deviant behavior. It suggests that strong
attachments, commitments, involvement in positive activities, and beliefs in societal norms
act as protective factors against drug use and other deviant behaviors. Understanding and
strengthening social bonds can contribute to creating a supportive environment that promotes
academic achievement and reduces the likelihood of drug use among secondary school
students.

Methods

This study was conducted using Ex-post facto research design. The target population of this
study comprises of all public secondary school (2) students in the 25 local government areas
of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State with a sample size of 500 students from
the three Senatorial District in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State. This
sample represents 10% of the population, drawn through the multi-stage sampling procedure
and stratified random sampling technique. The instrument used for data collection was an
adopted questionnaire, which include social media scale (SMS) developed by Osharive
(2015), the scale contains 9- items that were designed to measure the extent to which students
use social media for different purpose and Drug abuse scale (DAS) developed by Aleke
(2013), it contains 28-items, designed to measure the extent of use of several drugs such as
depressants, stimulants and hallucinogen. The research instruments were scored on 4 Point
Scale of Strongly Agreed (4), Agreed (3), Disagree (2), and Strongly Disagreed (1). The
reliability coefficients of the instruments were determined using Cronbach Alpha Method.
The instruments had reliability coefficient of .78 and .69 for social media scale and drug abuse
scale respectively. The instruments were administered by the researchers and one research
assistant. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to answer the research questions
and test the null hypotheses. The analysis of data generated from the study will be aided by
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

Results and Discussion

Research Question One: What is the relationship between Facebook exposure and drug
abuse among public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of
Rivers State?
Hypothesis One: There is no significant relationship between Facebook exposure and drug
abuse among public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of
Rivers State.

Table 1: Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation of Facebook exposure and drug abuse

Drug Abuse Facebook Exposure

Pearson’s Coefficient 1 -.422**
Drug Abuse Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 322 322

Table 4.1 shows the result of a Pearson product-moment correlation that was run to determine
if there was a relationship between Facebook exposure and drug abuse among public senior
secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, and to ascertain
the significance of the relationship. The result was (r= -.422, n = 322, p < 0.05) this result
shows that there was a strong negative correlation Facebook exposure and drug abuse among
public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The result is statistically significant as the p-value of .000 (8.834E-27) is less than the 0.05
level of significance. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected

Research Question Two: What is the relationship between Instagram exposure and drug
abuse among public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of
Rivers State?

Hypothesis Two: There is no significant relationship between Instagram exposure and drug
abuse among public senior secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of
Rivers State.

Table 2 Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation of Instagram exposure and drug abuse

Drug Abuse Instagram Exposure

Pearson’s Coefficient 1 -.498**
Drug Abuse Sig. (2-tailed) .000
N 322 322

Table.2 shows the result of a Pearson product-moment correlation that was run to determine
if there was a relationship between Instagram exposure and drug abuse among public senior
secondary school students in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, and to ascertain
the significance of the relationship. The result was (r= -.498, n = 322, p < 0.05) this result
shows that there was a strong negative correlation between Instagram exposure. The result is
statistically significant as the p-value of .000 (4.0244E-46) is less than the 0.05 level of
significance. Hence the null hypothesis is rejected

Discussion of Findings

The first finding of this study revealed that there is a significant relationship between
Facebook exposure and drug abuse among adolescent students in secondary schools. This
implies that students who are exposed to social media can easily indulged in drug abuse while
those that are not really expose to social media may not likely indulge in drug abuse. That is,
adolescents who often make use of social media are likely to be involved in alcohol and
smoking than those who do not use social media. The finding of this study is in line with
Hormes, Kearns and Timko (2014) who found out from their investigation that students with
disordered online social media networking use had a higher tendency to experience
problematic drinking and difficulties with emotion regulation. This means that the higher
students are addicted or exposed to social media the higher they are likely to increase in
deviant behaviour.

The second finding revealed a significant relationship between Instagram exposure and drug
abuse. Odofin & Ofojebe, (2020), also found a significant relationship between school type
and deviant behaviour among students. The implication of this finding is that, the school type
of the students either private or public is likely to influence student’s drug abuse differently.
That is, how students in private schools will use substance will be different on how students
in public schools will abuse drugs as a function of their different school environment. Most
parents believe that sending their children to private schools would prevent them from drug
abuse. But research has shown that adolescents who go to private schools may be at a higher
risk of substance use compare to adolescents in public schools.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, it can be concluded that, social media exposure could negatively
influence involvement indrug abuse. Also, School type can have impact in the relationship
between social media exposure and drug abuse among adolescent’s secondary school
students among secondary school students.
Recommendations

Arising from the findings of this study, the following recommendations were made:

1. Parents, educators and members of the community should monitor and guide the
students on appropriate use of social media in order to reduce its effect on drug abuse
by adolescent students.

2. Parents should be involved in the choice of schools of their children to maximize

learning opportunities and minimize drug abuse.

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