Excessive use of social media and academic performance: The mediating role of academic procrastination among undergraduate university students

This study aimed to find out the effect of excessive use of social media (EUSM) on academic performance among undergraduate university students. Additionally, the study also examined the mediating effect of academic procrastination. The current study adopted a correlational research design. Participants gave consent, and they answered a demographic information questionnaire, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Academic Performance Scale, and the General Procrastination Scale. The sample comprised 302 undergraduate university students (126 males and 176 females) who were 18–26 years old (M = 20.95, SD = 1.78) residing in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Correlation analysis found a significant negative relationship between excessive social media use and academic performance (r = −.72, p < .01). Regression analysis found a significant and negative prediction of excessive social media use of academic performance (β = −.55, p < .001). The mediation analysis through the PROCESS model of Hayes (2018) revealed a significant indirect effect (β = −.24, p < .001), but the direct effect was still significant (β = −.77, p < .001), suggesting partial mediation of academic procrastination in the link between excessive social media use and academics. There were no gender differences found. This study’s findings were constrained by cross-sectional research design, self-reporting bias, and small sample size. Future researchers should consider larger sample sizes and different methodologies, such as longitudinal or experimental designs.