Relationship Between Social Media Use and Self-Esteem Among Secondary School Adolescents in Kano State, North West Nigeria

The rapid growth of social media platforms among Nigerian adolescents has raised significant concerns about its psychological impact, particularly on self-concept and self-esteem during the critical developmental period of adolescence. This study investigates the relationship between social media use patterns and self-esteem levels among secondary school students in Kano State, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey design is adopted, with 280 students aged 13 to 18 years recruited from four government and private secondary schools through cluster sampling. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale are administered alongside a sociodemographic questionnaire. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression are computed using SPSS. Available research from North West Nigeria identifies Instagram and TikTok as the most used platforms among adolescents, with upward social comparison on these platforms linked to reduced self-esteem in previous studies. Sociocultural theory and the social comparison framework by Festinger provide the conceptual basis. Findings are expected to reveal a significant negative correlation between compulsive social media use and self-esteem, particularly among female students who engage more frequently in appearance-based social comparisons. Results will contribute to school counselling practice and parental awareness programmes in Kano State. Keywords: social media, self-esteem, adolescents, secondary school, Kano State.