Investigating the Impact of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance Among Youth in Gujranwala
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Background: Social media has become an important part of university students’ academic and social lives, offering opportunities for communication, collaboration, and access to educational resources, while also creating risks of distraction, procrastination, and reduced academic engagement. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between social media use and academic performance among university students in Gujranwala, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 50 students from GIFT University, Gujranwala, selected through convenience sampling. Social media use was assessed using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, and academic performance was measured using the Academic Performance Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, normality testing, Spearman correlation analysis, and linear regression. Results: Spearman correlation showed a weak positive and statistically insignificant relationship between social media use and academic performance (r = 0.098, p > 0.05). Linear regression also showed that social media use did not significantly predict academic performance (R = 0.209, R² = 0.044, B = -0.169, SE = 0.105, p = 0.115, 95% CI: -0.380 to 0.042). The model explained only 4.4% of the variance in academic performance. Conclusion: Social media use was not significantly associated with academic performance among the students included in this study. The findings suggest that academic outcomes may be influenced by factors beyond social media use alone, including study habits, self-regulation, motivation, and contextual academic variables.
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