Social Media Use and Academic Self-Efficacy Among Postgraduate Students of the University of Calabar, South South Nigeria

This study examines the relationship between social media use and academic self-efficacy among postgraduate students at the University of Calabar, Cross River State, South South Nigeria. Academic self-efficacy, which refers to students' belief in their ability to accomplish academic tasks, is a robust predictor of academic success, and growing evidence from international contexts suggests that purposeful social media use can reinforce this belief through peer learning and academic community engagement. A cross-sectional correlational design was employed with a sample of 200 Masters and PhD students across five postgraduate faculties. A validated Social Media Academic Use Scale and the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale were administered. Pearson correlation and structural equation modelling were used to test hypothesised relationships. Results reveal a significant positive relationship between academic social media use and self-efficacy, mediated by knowledge sharing behaviour and online peer interaction. Non-academic social media use shows a weak but significant negative correlation with self-efficacy. Discipline moderates these relationships, with science postgraduate students showing stronger positive effects from academic social media use than arts students. The study recommends that postgraduate supervisors guide students in structured academic social media engagement and that the university develop a postgraduate digital research community platform. Keywords: social media use, academic self-efficacy, postgraduate students, University of Calabar, digital learning