Chapter One — 1.1 Background to the Study

Social Media Addiction has increasingly attracted the attention of researchers, regulators, and practitioners concerned with youth deviant behaviour. This growing interest reflects the recognition that social media addiction does not operate in isolation, but interacts with a wider set of institutional and market conditions found within Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria.

Within the context of Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria, this relationship carries particular significance. Organizations in this setting operate under a distinct combination of economic, regulatory, and market conditions that may amplify or dampen the effect of social media addiction on youth deviant behaviour, making a context-specific inquiry both timely and necessary.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Despite a growing body of literature on social media addiction, there remains limited consensus on the precise nature of its relationship with youth deviant behaviour, particularly within Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria. Many organizations continue to make decisions about social media addiction without a clear, evidence-based understanding of how those decisions ultimately affect youth deviant behaviour. This gap between practice and empirical understanding is the central problem this study seeks to address.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1. To examine the effect of Social Media Addiction on youth deviant behaviour in Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria.
2. To assess the extent to which social media addiction influences youth deviant behaviour within the study area.
3. To identify the challenges associated with social media addiction in relation to youth deviant behaviour.
4. To recommend strategies for optimizing social media addiction in order to improve youth deviant behaviour.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What is the effect of social media addiction on youth deviant behaviour in Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria?
2. To what extent does social media addiction influence youth deviant behaviour within the study area?
3. What challenges are associated with social media addiction in relation to youth deviant behaviour?
4. What strategies can be adopted to optimize social media addiction in order to improve youth deviant behaviour?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This study is significant to a range of stakeholders. For policymakers and regulators, the findings offer evidence to guide the design of frameworks that support healthier outcomes around youth deviant behaviour. For managers and practitioners within Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria, the study provides practical insight into how social media addiction can be better managed. Finally, it contributes to the academic literature on sociology by extending existing knowledge into a specific empirical context, and offers a reference point for future researchers.

1.6 Scope of the Study

In terms of scope, this MSc study confines itself to Selected Federal Government Parastatals in Nigeria, focusing specifically on how social media addiction relates to youth deviant behaviour within that setting. Findings are interpreted within these boundaries rather than as universal claims applicable to every organization or market.