INFLUENCE OF FEAR OF NEGATIVE EVALUATION AND TRAIT ANXIETY ON SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT AMONG ADOLESCENTS AND EMERGING ADULTS IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA.
Abstract
The use of social media has been linked to the causes of some psychological factors in individuals.
Previous studies have focused on its impact on academic performances of student; there is limited
focus on fear of negative evaluation and social anxiety. This study investigated fear of negative
evaluation, trait anxiety, and social demographic factors, with a view to investigating the influence
of fear of negative evaluation and trait anxiety on social media engagement among adolescents
and emerging adults in Abeokuta, Ogun State Nigeria. Quantitative method was used. Purposive
sampling and Slovin’s formula were used to generate 350 participants: 85 Babcock students and
265 Chrisland students, who were served structured questionnaires. Participants were aged 13-21,
66.6% were females while 33.4% were males. Clark and Wells’ Cognitive theory of social anxiety
and Katz, Blumler, and Gurevitch’s Uses and gratification theory served as the framework. Data
were analysed using linear regression, multiple regression and independent T- test. Fear of
negative evaluation predicted social media engagement among females (f (1,233) =5.96, R² =0.01,
p
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