Location
Accra, Ghana and Virtual
Start Date
28-8-2025 4:15 PM
End Date
28-8-2025 4:45 PM
Description
This study investigated the gratifications contributing to compulsive YouTube use among university students. Compulsive YouTube use, marked by an inability to regulate consumption despite negative impacts to the user, is analysed through the Uses and Gratifications Theory (U&G) and Compulsive Internet Use (CIU). Specifically, the study examined how different gratifications—such as emotional support, habitual viewing, and escapism—drive compulsive use patterns. A cross-sectional survey strategy was employed, collecting data from 175 university students through structured online questionnaires. The study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships between the identified gratifications and compulsive usage behaviour. The findings show that emotional support, habitual viewing, and escapism significantly contribute to the compulsive use of YouTube, while entertainment, information-seeking, social interaction, and personal identity gratifications do not. These results suggest that students rely on YouTube for mood regulation and avoiding real-world responsibilities, fostering dependency. Recommendations for future research include exploring the effects of demographic variations and implementing longitudinal studies to examine the long-term impact of these gratifications on compulsive YouTube use.
Included in
Gratifications that Contribute to Compulsive YouTube Use Among University Students
Accra, Ghana and Virtual
This study investigated the gratifications contributing to compulsive YouTube use among university students. Compulsive YouTube use, marked by an inability to regulate consumption despite negative impacts to the user, is analysed through the Uses and Gratifications Theory (U&G) and Compulsive Internet Use (CIU). Specifically, the study examined how different gratifications—such as emotional support, habitual viewing, and escapism—drive compulsive use patterns. A cross-sectional survey strategy was employed, collecting data from 175 university students through structured online questionnaires. The study used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the relationships between the identified gratifications and compulsive usage behaviour. The findings show that emotional support, habitual viewing, and escapism significantly contribute to the compulsive use of YouTube, while entertainment, information-seeking, social interaction, and personal identity gratifications do not. These results suggest that students rely on YouTube for mood regulation and avoiding real-world responsibilities, fostering dependency. Recommendations for future research include exploring the effects of demographic variations and implementing longitudinal studies to examine the long-term impact of these gratifications on compulsive YouTube use.
