“TikTok Usage and Addiction to Senior High School Students in Bauan Technical

Integrated High School.”

RESEARCH DEFENSE GUIDE

Title / Objective of the Study
Explain the title/objectives of your study

The title of our study, “TikTok Usage and Addiction to Senior High School Students in
Bauan Technical Integrated High School,” aims to explore how the frequent use of TikTok
may lead to addictive behavior among students. The study focuses on understanding how TikTok
affects students’ time management, academic responsibilities, and overall well-being. Through
this research, we aim to determine the reasons why students use TikTok frequently and how it
influences their daily lives and habits.

I. INTRODUCTION
1. How did you identify the research problem presented in your study?

We identified the research problem through observation of students’ behavior and experiences
with social media, particularly TikTok. Many senior high school students spend a significant
amount of time scrolling through TikTok videos, which sometimes affects their focus on school
tasks and responsibilities. This observation, supported by related literature about social media
addiction, helped us recognize the need to examine the relationship between TikTok usage and
addiction among students.

2. What research gap does your study aim to address?

Most previous studies focus on social media addiction in general, but only a few specifically
examine TikTok usage among senior high school students, especially in the context of Bauan
Technical Integrated High School. There is also limited qualitative research that explores
students’ personal experiences, habits, and perspectives regarding TikTok addiction.
3. Why is this study important to conduct at this time?

This study is important because TikTok has become one of the most widely used social media
platforms among teenagers today. As its popularity continues to grow, it is necessary to
understand how it affects students’ academic performance, time management, and well-being.
Conducting this study now can help raise awareness about responsible social media usage.

4. How is your study different from previous studies on the same topic?

Our study is different because it focuses specifically on Senior High School students of Bauan
Technical Integrated High School and uses a qualitative research approach. Instead of only
using numbers and statistics, our research explores students’ personal experiences, thoughts,
and behaviors related to TikTok usage and addiction.

5. How did you determine the scope and limitations of your study?

The scope of the study is limited to Grade 11 Senior High School students at Bauan
Technical Integrated High School during the academic year 2025–2026. The study focuses
only on their experiences with TikTok usage and possible addiction. The research does not
include students from other schools or other social media platforms.

6. Who will benefit from the results of your research and how?

Students – They will become more aware of the effects of excessive TikTok use and learn how
to manage their time better.

Teachers – They may better understand students’ social media habits and develop strategies to
help them stay focused on academics.

Parents – They can guide their children in using social media responsibly.

Future researchers – They can use this study as a reference for further research about social
media addiction.

II. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

1. Are your research objectives aligned with your research problem? Explain.

Yes. Our research objectives are aligned with the research problem because they aim to explore
how TikTok usage may lead to addiction among students. The objectives focus on understanding
students’ experiences, behaviors, and the possible effects of TikTok on their daily activities.

2. Why did you choose these specific objectives?

We chose these objectives because they help us clearly examine the relationship between TikTok
usage and addiction. They also allow us to explore how students’ time management, academic
performance, and daily habits may be influenced by their use of TikTok.

3. Are your objectives appropriate for a qualitative research design? Why?

Yes, because qualitative research focuses on understanding people’s experiences, perspectives,

and behaviors. Our objectives aim to explore students’ personal experiences with TikTok usage,
which makes a qualitative design appropriate.

III. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

1. How did the literature help you identify the research gap?

The literature showed that many studies discuss social media addiction and its effects on
mental health and academic performance. However, there are limited studies specifically
focusing on TikTok and the personal experiences of senior high school students.

2. How did you select the studies included in your review?

We selected studies that are relevant to TikTok usage, social media addiction, academic
performance, and students’ behavior. We also chose studies from credible sources such as
academic journals and research articles.

3. How are the reviewed studies connected to your current research?

The reviewed studies provide background information about social media addiction, the impact
of TikTok, and students’ digital behavior. They support our research by showing that
excessive social media use can affect students’ mental health and academic performance.

4. How did you develop your conceptual framework based on the literature?

The conceptual framework was developed by identifying key variables from the literature, such
as TikTok usage, addiction behavior, and its effects on students’ academic and personal
life. These concepts were organized to show how TikTok usage may influence addiction among
students.

IV. RESEARCH DESIGN

1. What qualitative research design did you use and why did you choose it?

We used a qualitative research design because it allows us to explore the experiences, opinions,
and perspectives of students regarding their TikTok usage.

2. How does your chosen design help answer your research objectives?

The qualitative design allows participants to express their personal experiences through
interviews, which helps us gain deeper insights into their behavior and habits related to TikTok
usage.

3. Why is this design more appropriate compared to other qualitative designs?

This design is appropriate because it focuses on understanding experiences and behaviors,

which cannot always be measured using numbers or statistical data.

V. SUBJECTS OF THE STUDY

1. Who are the participants of your study?
The participants are Grade 11 Senior High School students of Bauan Technical Integrated
High School who actively use TikTok.

2. How did you determine your sample size?

In qualitative research, the goal is to obtain detailed and meaningful responses rather than a
large number of participants, so a smaller group of students was selected.

3. What sampling technique did you use and why?

We used purposive sampling, which means selecting participants who are active TikTok users
and can provide relevant information about the topic.

4. What are the inclusion or selection criteria for your participants?

Participants must:

 Be Grade 11 students
 Be active TikTok users
 Be willing to participate in the interview
 Provide honest responses about their experiences

VI. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

1. How will you collect your data? (Step-by-step)

1. Secure permission from the school administration.

2. Select participants using purposive sampling.
3. Explain the purpose of the study and obtain informed consent.
4. Conduct semi-structured interviews with the participants.
5. Record the interviews with the participants’ permission.
6. Transcribe the recorded responses.
7. Organize and analyze the collected data.

2. What research instrument will you use? How was it validated?

The study used a semi-structured interview guide as the research instrument. The instrument
was validated by English teachers and the research adviser, who reviewed the questions to
ensure clarity and relevance.

3. How will you ensure the credibility and reliability of your data?

Credibility was ensured by recording interviews, transcribing responses accurately, and

carefully reviewing the data multiple times. The researchers also used coding and thematic
analysis to identify patterns in the responses.

4. What ethical considerations did you observe in conducting the study?

 Voluntary participation
 Informed consent
 Confidentiality and anonymity
 Data privacy protection
 Compliance with the Philippine Data Privacy Act (RA 10173)

5. How will you analyze the qualitative data collected?

The data will be analyzed using coding and thematic analysis. The researchers will review the
interview responses, identify recurring patterns, group them into themes, and interpret them
according to the research objectives.

RAW DATA QUESTION

Example Raw Response (for objective: TikTok usage habits)

Example responses from participants:

Participant 1:
“I usually use TikTok after school because it helps me relax, but sometimes I lose track of time
and end up spending more than two hours watching videos.”

Participant 2:
“I open TikTok whenever I feel bored, even when I am supposed to do my homework.”
Participant 3:
“I try to limit my TikTok use, but sometimes the algorithm keeps showing interesting videos that
make it hard to stop scrolling.”

SCRIPT:

INTRODUCTION
Good day to our panelists that are present today.

Nowadays, social media plays an important role in the daily lives of students, especially among
Senior High School students at Bauan Technical Integrated High School. One of the most widely
used platforms is TikTok, which students use for entertainment, communication, and sometimes
even educational content.

However, excessive use of TikTok may lead to negative effects such as poor time management,
lack of sleep, and difficulty focusing on academic tasks. In some cases, this behavior can develop
into TikTok addiction, where students feel a strong urge to constantly check the application.

Because of this concern, our study aims to explore the relationship between TikTok usage and
addiction among Senior High School students. Through this research, we hope to better
understand how TikTok influences students’ lives and promote more responsible and balanced
social media use.

Previous research also supports these findings. Studies have shown that excessive TikTok use
may negatively affect students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall
productivity. Because of this, researchers recommend increasing awareness about the effects of
excessive social media use, encouraging students to set screen time limits, and promoting
responsible and balanced use of digital platforms.

Additionally, our study highlights an important research gap. Many existing studies focus on
social media in general, but there is still limited research that specifically examines TikTok
usage among students. There is also a need for more standardized tools to measure TikTok
addiction and for long-term studies that analyze its impact on students over time.

Through this research, we hope to contribute to a better understanding of how TikTok affects
students’ lives and encourage more responsible social media habits among young users.

Key points:

1. TikTok is popular among SHS students.

2. Too much use can cause addiction.
3. Addiction affects time management, sleep, and academics.
4. Many students show moderate dependence.
5. Research gap: few studies specifically about TikTok.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS
This slide presents the research questions of our study. These questions guided us in
understanding the relationship between TikTok usage and addiction among Senior High School
students at Bauan Technical Integrated High School.

Our research focuses on three main questions. First, we determine the level of TikTok addiction
among SHS students. Second, we examine how TikTok addiction affects their academic
performance, sleep, attention span, and social relationships. Lastly, we explore the coping
mechanisms students use to manage or overcome TikTok addiction.

RESEARCH DESIGN
For our research design, we used a qualitative research approach to explore the experiences
of Senior High School students at Bauan Technical Integrated High School regarding their
TikTok usage and possible addiction.

This design focuses on understanding the students’ perspectives, emotions, and behaviors,
rather than collecting numerical data.

Through interviews and open-ended questions, we were able to gather detailed insights about
how students use TikTok, why they use it, and how it affects their daily lives.

Tip for defense: If the panel asks “Why interview?”, you can answer:

We chose interviews because qualitative research focuses on understanding participants’

experiences and perspectives. Interviews allow students to express their thoughts freely and
provide more detailed information about their TikTok usage.
DATA GATHERING INSTRUMENT
For our data gathering instrument, we used qualitative interviews to collect detailed
information from the participants.

Instead of using surveys that rely on numbers or rating scales, our study focused on collecting in-
depth responses about the students’ experiences and perspectives regarding their TikTok
usage.

To achieve this, we used a semi-structured interview guide.

This means that we prepared a set of guide questions related to TikTok usage, addiction
behaviors, and its effects on students’ lives. However, the interview was also flexible. When
participants shared interesting or meaningful responses, we asked follow-up questions to explore
their answers further.

Using semi-structured interviews allowed the participants to freely express their thoughts,
feelings, and personal experiences regarding their use of TikTok.

Through this method, we were able to gather rich and descriptive data, which helped us gain a
deeper understanding of the relationship between TikTok usage and possible addictive behavior
among Senior High School students at Bauan Technical Integrated High School.