INFLUENCE OF CELEBRITY WORSHIP AND INDIVIDUAL LIFESTYLE ON DRUG USE AND QUALITY OF LIFE AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS.

This study examined the influence of celebrity worship and individual lifestyle on drug use and quality of life among undergraduates of Ekiti State University (EKSU), Nigeria. A descriptive correlational survey design was adopted to investigate the relationships among the variables without experimental manipulation. A total of 193 undergraduates were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected using four validated instruments: the Celebrity Worship Scale, the Individual Lifestyle Profile Scale, the Drug Use Disorders Identification Test, and an adapted version of the Older People’s Quality of Life Brief Questionnaire for youth populations. Results from regression analyses indicated that celebrity worship significantly predicted both drug use (β = .52, t = 8.43, p < .05) and quality of life (β = .62, t = 11.03, p < .05). Celebrity worship accounted for 27% of the variance in drug use (R² = .27, F(1,191) = 71.08, p < .001) and 39% of the variance in quality of life (R² = .39, F(1,191) = 121.62, p < .001). Individual lifestyle also significantly predicted drug use (β = .62, t = 10.89, p < .05) and quality of life (β = .42, t = 6.38, p < .05), explaining 38% and 18% of the variance respectively (drug use: R² = .38, F(1,191) = 118.54, p < .001; quality of life: R² = .18, F(1,191) = 40.72, p < .001). Joint regression analysis showed that celebrity worship and individual lifestyle together explained 44% of the variance in drug use and 41% in quality of life. The findings highlight the psychological and behavioral links between celebrity influence, lifestyle patterns, and student well-being. The study concludes that interventions aimed at improving undergraduate health and quality of life should incorporate both media influence awareness and lifestyle education strategies.