Perceived Stress, TikTok Addiction, Self-esteem, and academic performance among university students in Saudi Arabia: A structural path analysis.

IF 1.6 4区医学 Q2 MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences Pub Date : 2026-09-01 DOI:10.12669/pjms.42.9.15026

Manal Almalki

{"title":"Perceived Stress, TikTok Addiction, Self-esteem, and academic performance among university students in Saudi Arabia: A structural path analysis.","authors":"Manal Almalki","doi":"10.12669/pjms.42.9.15026","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Background & objectives: TikTok is widely used among university students in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about its potential role as a maladaptive coping strategy. Limited research has examined how perceived stress, TikTok addiction, and self-esteem jointly influence academic performance within the General Strain Theory (GST) framework. This study investigated the direct and indirect relationships between perceived stress and academic performance, with TikTok addiction and self-esteem as mediating variables.Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 university students in Saudi Arabia between October and December 2024. Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic data, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and TikTok Addiction Scale (TTAS). Academic performance was measured using self-reported cumulative grade point average (GPA). After psychometric evaluation of the study instruments, structural path analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect relationships among the study variables.Results: Participants reported using TikTok for an average of 3.4 hours per day, and 75.3% used TikTok primarily for entertainment. Perceived stress was negatively associated with academic performance (β = -0.12, p < 0.05) and self-esteem (β = -0.11, p < 0.05), while positively associated with TikTok addiction (β = 0.30, p < 0.01). TikTok addiction was negatively associated with academic performance (β = -0.20, p < 0.01), whereas self-esteem was positively associated with academic performance (β = 0.17, p < 0.01). Significant indirect effects were observed through TikTok addiction (β = -0.06, p < 0.01), self-esteem (β = -0.02, p < 0.05), and the sequential pathway involving both mediators (β = -0.01, p < 0.05).Conclusion: The findings support GST by highlighting that perceived stress influences academic performance through both behavioral and psychological mechanisms. Interventions targeting stress management, healthier TikTok use, and self-esteem enhancement may help improve academic outcomes among university students.","PeriodicalId":19958,"journal":{"name":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","volume":"42 9","pages":"2276-2283"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13624461/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.12669/pjms.42.9.15026","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background & objectives: TikTok is widely used among university students in Saudi Arabia, raising concerns about its potential role as a maladaptive coping strategy. Limited research has examined how perceived stress, TikTok addiction, and self-esteem jointly influence academic performance within the General Strain Theory (GST) framework. This study investigated the direct and indirect relationships between perceived stress and academic performance, with TikTok addiction and self-esteem as mediating variables.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 400 university students in Saudi Arabia between October and December 2024. Participants completed an online questionnaire that included demographic data, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and TikTok Addiction Scale (TTAS). Academic performance was measured using self-reported cumulative grade point average (GPA). After psychometric evaluation of the study instruments, structural path analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect relationships among the study variables.

Results: Participants reported using TikTok for an average of 3.4 hours per day, and 75.3% used TikTok primarily for entertainment. Perceived stress was negatively associated with academic performance (β = -0.12, p < 0.05) and self-esteem (β = -0.11, p < 0.05), while positively associated with TikTok addiction (β = 0.30, p < 0.01). TikTok addiction was negatively associated with academic performance (β = -0.20, p < 0.01), whereas self-esteem was positively associated with academic performance (β = 0.17, p < 0.01). Significant indirect effects were observed through TikTok addiction (β = -0.06, p < 0.01), self-esteem (β = -0.02, p < 0.05), and the sequential pathway involving both mediators (β = -0.01, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: The findings support GST by highlighting that perceived stress influences academic performance through both behavioral and psychological mechanisms. Interventions targeting stress management, healthier TikTok use, and self-esteem enhancement may help improve academic outcomes among university students.

查看原文本刊更多论文

沙特阿拉伯大学生的感知压力、抖音成瘾、自尊和学习成绩：结构路径分析

背景与目的：TikTok在沙特阿拉伯的大学生中被广泛使用，这引发了人们对其作为一种适应不良应对策略的潜在作用的担忧。有限的研究在一般压力理论（GST）框架下研究了感知压力、抖音成瘾和自尊如何共同影响学习成绩。本研究以抖音成瘾和自尊为中介变量，调查了感知压力与学习成绩之间的直接和间接关系。方法：在2024年10月至12月期间，对沙特阿拉伯的400名大学生进行了一项横断面研究。参与者完成了一份在线问卷，其中包括人口统计数据、感知压力量表（PSS-10）、罗森伯格自尊量表（RSES）和抖音成瘾量表（TTAS）。学业成绩用自我报告的累积平均绩点（GPA）来衡量。在对研究工具进行心理测量评估后，进行结构通径分析以检验研究变量之间的直接和间接关系。结果：参与者报告平均每天使用TikTok 3.4小时，75.3%的人主要将TikTok用于娱乐。感知压力与学习成绩（β = -0.12, p < 0.05）和自尊（β = -0.11, p < 0.05）呈负相关，与TikTok成瘾（β = 0.30, p < 0.01）呈正相关。抖音成瘾与学习成绩呈负相关（β = -0.20, p < 0.01），而自尊与学习成绩呈正相关（β = 0.17, p < 0.01）。通过TikTok成瘾（β = -0.06, p < 0.01）、自尊（β = -0.02, p < 0.05）和涉及两种介质的顺序通路（β = -0.01, p < 0.05）观察到显著的间接影响。结论：研究结果通过强调感知压力通过行为和心理机制影响学习成绩来支持GST。针对压力管理、更健康地使用抖音和增强自尊的干预措施可能有助于提高大学生的学业成绩。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences 医学-医学：内科

CiteScore

4.10

自引率

9.10%

发文量

363

审稿时长

3-6 weeks

期刊介绍： It is a peer reviewed medical journal published regularly since 1984. It was previously known as quarterly "SPECIALIST" till December 31st 1999. It publishes original research articles, review articles, current practices, short communications & case reports. It attracts manuscripts not only from within Pakistan but also from over fifty countries from abroad. Copies of PJMS are sent to all the import medical libraries all over Pakistan and overseas particularly in South East Asia and Asia Pacific besides WHO EMRO Region countries. Eminent members of the medical profession at home and abroad regularly contribute their write-ups, manuscripts in our publications. We pursue an independent editorial policy, which allows an opportunity to the healthcare professionals to express their views without any fear or favour. That is why many opinion makers among the medical and pharmaceutical profession use this publication to communicate their viewpoint.