Correlation between social media addiction and academic procrastination in medical students at public and private medical colleges at Peshawar.

Abstract

Objective: The study aim was to assess correlation between social media addiction and academic procrastination among medical students at public and private medical colleges in Peshawar.

Methods: A correlational research design was employed with research protocols approved by the Advance Studies and Research Board of Khyber Medical University. Data were collected from two public and five private medical colleges. Universal sampling was then performed. Of 4716 medical students, 3366 participated in the study, with a response rate of 71.4%. This study was conducted between June and December 2023. Data were collected using the structured social media addiction scale (SMAS) and academic procrastination scale (APS).

Results: Male participants were (1775) 52.7%, and the rest (1591) 47.3% were female. Among the responders (1591) 61% resided in hostels. The mean academic achievement was 74.14%, ranging from 30% to 85%. Most medical students (63%) showed moderate and 34% showed high academic procrastination. Majority of the medical students (81%) were social media addicts and male reported higher scores. Social media addiction was highly correlated with academic procrastination (r=0.539), which was regressed and found that 29% (R²=0.289) of social media addiction contributed to academic procrastination. Medical students from the public sector, Android users, third-year students, male students, and hostel residents were more prone to social media addiction and academic procrastination.

Conclusion: Social media addiction prevails among medical students and is highly correlated with academic procrastination. Hostel residents, males, and android users were more addicted to social media than their counterparts.