The relationship between social network, social media use, loneliness and academic performance: A study among university students in Bangladesh

Multiple information and communication technologies are ubiquitous in human lives today. Our pattern of social interactions, formation and maintaining of relationships and status of mental health are mostly shaped by the communication technologies and social media platforms. Yet several studies show that we feel increasingly alone and the sense and feeling of loneliness are becoming an epidemic in modern society. On the other hand, several studies indicate that the use of communication technologies and social media platforms affect academic achievements of students both positively and negatively. The dimensions of an individual’s loneliness and interactions on social media platforms are well documented from the perspective of western countries, yet little is known about it from the context of developing countries like Bangladesh. The purpose of this study was to examine the structure of real-life and virtual social network and their relationship with loneliness and academic achievements of university students in the country. In this regard, the study used primary data collected from 234 university students. The study employed Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6) and UCLA loneliness scale to measure the level of real-life social network and loneliness. The study finds that students are averagely engaged in real-life social network and moderately lonely. The study also finds a significant and positive relationship between Facebook use and loneliness, and a significant and positive relationship between social media (Facebook) use and loneliness. In addition, the study finds that academic performance or GPA of a student may be decreased by 0.843 and 0.781 if the student uses social media one hour more and suffer from loneliness, respectively. researchers, no researcher has explored the relationship between mental health (loneliness) and real-life social network and virtual social network (Facebook), from the context of Bangladesh. To fill up the gap, this study investigates the structure of real-life and virtual social network and their relationship with loneliness and academic