DISCUSSION
The data shows that the respondents had an average age of 22.7 years, with a mean
professional exam score of 73%. Students reported spending about 146 hours per
month on social media, indicating high but variable usage patterns among the group.
The gender distribution is nearly balanced, with 53.1% males and 46.9% females,
showing fair representation of both genders. Most participants, however, belong to the
4th year MBBS class (76.3%), creating a sample that is heavily concentrated among
senior students. Such high social media usage among university students has also
been noted in previous research i. Overall, the findings reflect a digitally active sample
with strong participation from upper-year medical students.
The findings indicate that students have high digital connectivity, with an
overwhelming majority (82.1%) having continuous 24/7 internet access on their
smartphones. This widespread availability of internet-enabled devices likely
contributes to the substantial screen exposure observed, where most students
reported spending 4–8 hours per day on screens. Such prolonged usage suggests that
digital media has become an integral part of students’ academic and daily routines.
This pattern aligns with past studies that also report high screen engagement among
university studentsii.
Despite this high level of connectivity and engagement, the perceived impact on
academic performance varies. While nearly one-third of students felt no change and
another third perceived improvement, a larger proportion (38.4%) reported a decline in
academic performance. This indicates that although digital access facilitates learning
opportunities, excessive or unregulated screen time may negatively influence
productivity, focus, or study habits in a considerable segment of students. Overall, the
results underscore the complex relationship between internet availability, screen-
time behaviors, and academic outcomes, highlighting the need for balanced usage
and increased awareness of potential academic implications.
The findings show that social media is the dominant contributor to student screen
time, with 67.9% using their devices for this purpose. Students display mixed media
habits, as nearly half frequently watch videos while the other half do not, indicating
diverse digital preferences. Messaging apps appear less central, with only 39.7% using
screens primarily for communication. Gaming contributes minimally to overall screen
use, given that only 13.8% engage in it. Importantly, a large proportion of students
reported using screens during study sessions—either sometimes (37.1%) or often
(33%)—suggesting that digital distractions are common during academic tasks. This
aligns with previous observations that multitasking with screens can interfere with
focused studyiii. Overall, the results highlight that while entertainment and social
engagement dominate screen behaviors, academic activities are frequently
interrupted by digital use.
The results indicate strong student awareness of the drawbacks of prolonged screen
use. A large majority (75.9%) feel that screen time negatively affects their
concentration, showing that distraction is a widely recognized issue. More than half
(52.2%) also believe that it harms academic performance, although nearly a third
perceive a positive effect, suggesting varied individual experiences with digital
learning. Additionally, 75% of students associate excessive screen time with negative
impacts on mental health, reflecting substantial concern about its psychological
effects. These perceptions are consistent with earlier reports linking heavy screen use
to reduced focus and well-beingiv. Overall, the findings highlight that students
acknowledge both cognitive and emotional consequences of extensive screen
exposure.
The findings show that notifications are a major source of academic distraction, with
81.3% of students reporting difficulty concentrating because of them. Heavy social
media engagement is also evident, as nearly half spend more than 3 hours daily on
these platforms. Attention patterns further highlight the influence of smartphones:
most students rate their focus as good or excellent when their phone is not nearby, but
this attention declines when the device is present. This pattern supports previous
observations that phone proximity alone can reduce cognitive performance v. Overall,
the results emphasize how digital interruptions and high social media use contribute
to reduced concentration and lower-quality attention.
The results show that Instagram is the most frequently used platform among students
(46%), followed by WhatsApp (29%), while other apps such as TikTok, Facebook, and
Snapchat are used less often. This suggests that students gravitate toward visually
engaging and communication-based platforms. More than half of the students (54%)
reported attempting to limit their screen time but were unable to do so, indicating
challenges in managing or controlling digital habits. Despite these difficulties, a
strong majority (79%) expressed willingness to reduce screen time to enhance their
academic performance. This readiness for change aligns with earlier findings where
students showed motivation to adopt healthier digital behaviorsvi. These results
highlight a clear recognition of excessive screen use and a strong desire among
students to improve their digital habits for better academic outcomes.
i
BaHammam AS, Alaseem AM, Alzakri AA, Almeneessier AS, Sharif MM. The relationship between sleep and
wake habits and academic performance in medical students: a cross-sectional study. BMC medical
education. 2012 Aug 1;12(1):61.
ii
Kaewpradit K, Ngamchaliew P, Buathong N. Digital screen time usage, prevalence of excessive digital screen
time, and its association with mental health, sleep quality, and academic performance among Southern
University students. Frontiers in Psychiatry. 2025 Mar 24;16:1535631.
iii
Junco R, Cotten SR. No A 4 U: The relationship between multitasking and academic performance.
Computers & Education. 2012 Sep 1;59(2):505-14.
iv
Santos RM, Mendes CG, Sen Bressani GY, de Alcantara Ventura S, de Almeida Nogueira YJ, de Miranda DM,
Romano-Silva MA. The associations between screen time and mental health in adolescents: a systematic
review. BMC psychology. 2023 Dec;11(1):1-21.
v
Shalash RJ, Arumugam A, Qadah RM, Al-Sharman A. Night screen time is associated with cognitive function
in healthy young adults: A cross-sectional study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 2024 Dec 31:2093-
104.
vi
Roussel-Ouellet J, Beaulieu D, Vézina-Im LA, Turcotte S, Labbé V, Bouchard D. Psychosocial correlates of
recreational screen time among adolescents. International journal of environmental research and public
health. 2022 Dec 13;19(24):16719.