Social Media Addiction and Mental Health Among University Students in Saudi Arabia: A PLS-SEM Analysis with Study Discipline as a Moderator

Background: The rapid use of social media (SM) has become a central part of university students’ everyday habits. However, its extensive SM surfing, frequently conceptualized as Social Media Addiction (SMA), is accountable for growing worries about the potential relationship with mental health symptoms (MHS). This research paper aimed to explore the interrelationships between SMA and MHS in the Saudi Arabia (SA) context. The paper explored the role of study discipline as a moderator. Methods: Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to analyze a set of data collected from 600 university students in SA. Results: The PLS-SEM results showed that Time Management & Performance (TM&P) and Social Comfort (SC) were significantly and positively correlated with stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms among SA university students. TM&P exhibited the strongest association with distress symptoms, while SC also displayed significant positive associations with all mental health symptoms. In contrast, Withdrawal & Health Problems (W&HP) demonstrated weak, negative and significant correlations with stress and anxiety and a non-significant correlation with depression, indicating that different aspects of SMA might be associated with mental health outcomes differently. Moreover, study discipline can significantly moderate several relationships between SMA dimensions and mental health outcomes, signalling that the psychological associations of compulsive social media use vary across disciplinary settings. Conclusion: This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the association between digital addiction and psychological well-being and provides a culturally grounded perspective from the Saudi Arabian context.