Relationship between Self-control and Facebook Use: Case of CEIT Students

Abstract

This is an explanatory mixed-method study that analyzes the relationship between the variables of students' self-control and Facebook usage. TIME's online Facebook calculator and the Brief Self-Control Scale are used for data collection. The research participants are 60 students in a department of computer education and instructional technology during the 2014 fall semester. The programs, SPSS and NVivo, were used in analyzing the data. Students who had changed their Facebook accounts at least once were found to have used Facebook longer statistically with less self-control. The analyses indicated a statistically significant relationship between Facebook use and self-control (F (1, 58) = 4.388, p <.05; beta = -. 367). According to students' views supporting these conclusions, the three most important reasons for this negative relationship are distracting content on Facebook, limited self-control, and notifications/alerts. These results suggest that students should receive support through special courses and educational programs when maintaining selfcontrol to cope with Facebook and Internet addiction. Also, future studies on Facebook addiction should take self-control into account.