Patterns of Social Media Use and Their Perceived Effects on Academic Performance and Well-Being among Medical Students at Al-Kindy College of Medicine: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: It is becoming increasingly common for students to incorporate social media into their daily lives, raising concerns about its effects on academic performance and individual well-being. This study aimed to explore how medical students engage with social media and the effects they perceive it has on their lives.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Al-Kindy College of Medicine during the 2023–2024 academic year. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all students. Data obtained from 509 respondents were analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics, version 24.

Results: The study included 509 participants, of whom 70.7% were female and 29.3% were male. Third-year students had the highest participation rate, accounting for 50.3% of the sample. A substantial proportion of students (36.7%) reported spending four to six hours daily on social media, with Instagram being the most frequently used platform (64.6%). Although 69.0% of students did not acknowledge that social media negatively affected their academic performance, considerable adverse effects were reported in other areas. More than 92% of students reported being distracted from their studies, while 88% indicated that social media affected their mood. Furthermore, 86% reported poor time management, 89% believed that their productivity was negatively affected, and 67.0% perceived a negative effect on their self-esteem.

Conclusions: Medical students demonstrate extensive daily engagement with social media, particularly Instagram. Although students do not universally perceive a direct negative effect on their academic grades, the findings reveal substantial self-reported adverse effects on distraction, mood regulation, time management, productivity, and self-esteem. These areas represent important challenges to student well-being and academic efficiency.