MOBILE USAGE, SHOPPING BEHAVIOR, AND STUDY HABIT AS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS OF DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND STRESS AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of certain factors of behavioral aspects on negative emotional states among university students. The behavioral aspects that are selected as independent variables in this study are mobile usage, buying behavior and study habits. On the other hand, the negative emotional states that are discussed in this study is depression, anxiety, and stress. Students (N=377) from Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris were selected using stratified sampling and purposive sampling as respondents in this study. Correlation analysis was carried out to briefly inform the reader of the relationship between an independent variable and dependent variable, and also the interrelationship among them. There is a small effect indicated by the correlation coefficient between mobile usage and depression and between mobile usage and anxiety. On the other hand, there is a moderate relationship between mobile usage and stress. As for shopping behavior variable, the results indicated it correlates more with anxiety, followed by stress lastly with depression. Last but not least, there is a significant negative relationship between study habit and all dependent variables. As for among independent variables themselves, the results indicated that there is a significant correlation between that mobile usage with shopping behavior, but not with study habit. Same goes to between shopping behavior and study habit. On the contrary, among dependent variables themselves, the results indicated that there is a significantly high correlation between all of them. Multiple regression analysis is conducted by using SPSS software after testing the assumptions. The results of the regression indicated that the model was a significant predictor of depression, anxiety, and stress. Study habit is a significant contributing factor to reduce depression among university students. Besides that, shopping behavior and study habit are a significant contributing factor to anxiety among university students. On the contrary, mobile usage and study habit are a significant contributing factor to stress among university students.