The Psychological and Behavioral Impacts of Social Media on Postgraduate Students: A Focus on Gender, Academic Performance, And Mental Well-Being

Abstract

This study examines the effect of social media on college-going students, focusing on its impact on their academic performance, interpersonal communication, and psychological well-being. In this study, 200 postgraduate students were analyzed using a descriptive research design. Findings displayed that excessive social media use is associated with decreased academic performance of male students, increased levels of anxiety and stress. Additionally, social media negatively impacted face-to-face interactions, with notable differences between genders. The study emphasizes the importance of promoting balanced social media usage and digital literacy among students to resolve these bad effects and improve their academic and personal wellbeing. Further recommendations include targeted mental health support and workshops addressing time management and healthy digital habits. Nevertheless, this study has limitations, including that it is cross-sectional and based entirely upon self-reports, which are subject to biases. Longitudinal methods can be used in future research to analyze the long-term impacts of social media on the mental health and academic performance of students.