Psychological Capital Among University Students in an Interconnected Learning Environment: Sleep Quality, Social Media Use, Academic Stress and Social Connectedness in Higher Education

Purpose This study examines how sleep quality, academic stress, social connectedness and social media use shape psychological capital among Nigerian university students in an interconnected learning environment. It also tests the mediating role of academic stress and the moderating role of social media use. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 849 students at Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria. Participants comprised 335 females and 514 males, with a mean age of 25.1 years, SD = 5.30. Data were collected using the Insomnia Severity Index, reverse-scored to indicate sleep quality, the Social Connectedness Scale-Revised, the Compound Psychological Capital Scale, the Perceived Academic Stress Scale and the Social Media Use Scale. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and structural equation modelling were conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Findings: Better sleep quality was associated with higher psychological capital, r = .40, p < .01, while academic stress, r = − .50, p < .01, and social media use, r = − .52, p < .01, were negatively associated with psychological capital. Social connectedness was positively associated with psychological capital, r = .11, p < .01. The mediation model explained 32% of the variance in psychological capital. Sleep quality positively predicted psychological capital, β = .39, p = .003, while academic stress negatively predicted psychological capital, β = − .32, p < .001. Academic stress mediated the sleep quality-psychological capital pathway, β = .08, p = .001. Social media use weakened the positive relationship between social connectedness and psychological capital, β = − .12, p = .003. Practical implications: Universities should strengthen student wellbeing through integrated policies that promote sleep health, reduce academic stress, build social connectedness and support digital-life balance. Originality/value: The study reframes psychological capital as a student capacity shaped by institutional, social and digital conditions in interconnected higher education environments.