THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE ON STUDENTS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Abstract

The increasing use of social media among students and its impacts on students' psychological well-being and students' academic success raise important questions. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp have become part of the educational environment; therefore, understanding the influence of digital engagement on learning behaviours and emotional health critical for researchers. The proposed study investigate how students use social media and how this affects their psychological health and academic performance in a school setting. The problem identified in this study is the increase in reliance on social networking platforms, and the uncertainty around whether the outcomes of this reliance are positive or negative, and how they affect overall development. The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between how students use social media, their psychological state and their academic success. A quantitative design utilised in the proposed study and involve collecting survey data from students at different levels of schooling through the use of survey instruments. The study measure time spent on social media, various types of online activities performed by students, levels of anxiety and stress and self-esteem, motivation and grade point average. The study employ statistical analysis techniques to evaluate the correlations between English language usage and emotional health and educational achievement. The research indicates that social media has two effects on students' academic progress its positive effects occur from moderate, purposeful, or academic uses of social media to collaborate and interact with peers, as well as get access to educational materials which aid in improving academic performance while its negative effects arise from excessive or non-academic types of use which contribute to psychological problems such as increased levels of stress, distractions, decreased self-esteem, decreased focus on studies, and decreased academic output. The findings also indicate that, regardless of the type of usage (moderate vs. excessive), emotionally vulnerable students are at a higher risk of suffering negative consequences from the high levels of comparison to others they may see online, being bullied through cyberspace, and other forms of online social pressure. The findings of the research are ecologically valid as they can be applied to other areas of academic research. In this regard, the study provides evidence based knowledge about creating healthier digital learning environments for students and highlights the importance of developing and implementing strategies for supporting positive online engagement among students and creating balanced digital habits through digital literacy programs. The conclusion of the research suggests that when used in a thoughtful and responsible manner, social media can support students to be successful academically but when used excessively and without limits can present risks to student psychological health and academic performance.