Effects of Social Media Use on Students Academic Achievement at University Level

The rapid integration of social media into university students' lives has sparked debates about its dual role as both an educational tool and a source of distraction. This study investigates the effects of social media use on academic achievement among 410 students from six universities in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, using a quantitative, non-experimental design. Guided by the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Bandura’s theory of academic self-efficacy, the research explores how mediating variables—including perceived usefulness, technology-enhanced learning (TEL), and academic motivation—shape this relationship. Data were collected via a validated questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS and Smart PLS. Results revealed a significant negative correlation between excessive social media use and GPA (β = -0.22, p < 0.01), with students averaging 4.6 hours daily on platforms like WhatsApp and YouTube. However, perceived usefulness of social media partially mitigated this effect (β = 0.15, p < 0.05), while academic self-efficacy strengthened engagement with TEL (β = 0.34, p < 0.001). The study underscores the importance of structured digital literacy programs and institutional policies to optimize social media’s educational potential. Educators are urged to foster self-regulation and integrate social media into curricula purposefully. These findings highlight the need for balanced, context-specific strategies to harness social media’s benefits while addressing its risks.