Online Allure and Offline Anxiety: Exploring the Mental Health Implications of Nighttime Social Media Use, Assessment Anxiety, Sleep Disturbance, Self-Esteem and Academic Performance of University Students in Ghana

With the rising prevalence of social media use among university students, particularly during nighttime hours, concerns have grown regarding its potential effects on mental health and academic success, warranting a comprehensive investigation into these associations. Our study investigated the mental health implications of nighttime social media use among university students in Ghana, focusing on its impact on sleep disturbance, assessment anxiety, self-esteem, and academic performance. Employing a quantitative, correlational cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 1,250 undergraduate students across five major public universities using validated psychometric instruments, including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), DASS-21, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and GPA records. Pearson correlation analysis revealed moderate and significant associations between nighttime social media use and sleep disturbances (r = .48 , p  < .001), assessment anxiety (r = .42 , p  < .001), and lower academic performance (r = –.28 , p  < .001). Mediation analysis using PROCESS Model 4 indicated that sleep disturbance significantly mediated the relationship between nighttime social media use and academic performance (indirect effect = − 0.21, 95% CI [–0.32, − 0.13] , p  < .001), with large effect sizes across sleep latency, subjective sleep quality, and sleep duration. Furthermore, moderation analysis using PROCESS Model 1 revealed that self-esteem buffered the adverse impact of nighttime social media use on assessment anxiety (interaction term β = − 0.18 , p  < .001), suggesting a protective role. The findings emphasise the critical role of digital behavior in shaping students’ psychological well-being and academic outcomes. This research provides empirical evidence for policymakers, mental health professionals, and educational institutions to develop targeted interventions that mitigate the negative consequences of excessive nighttime social media engagement, promote healthy sleep practices, and foster resilience through self-esteem enhancement strategies in Ghanaian higher education.