Prevalence and Determinants of Social Media Addiction among Medical Students in a Selected University in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Social Media Use and Sleep Quality Among Secondary School Students in Aseer Region: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Use of different social media platforms has increased radically over the past decade, emerging as an important part of adolescents and young people's everyday life. This might exert potential adverse effects on sleep quality and daytime performance of young adults.

Aim of Study

To assess the relation between use of social media platforms and sleep quality among public secondary school students.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted on 961 students in Aseer region, Saudi Arabia. Students were asked to fill in a structured interview questionnaire covering personal data, pattern of social media use, sleep quality using The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and their mental health status using the depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21).

Results

Students' ages ranged from 15 to 20 years with a mean age of 16.7 ± 2.1 years old. A total of 570 (59.3%) students were females. Tiktok (80%), Snapchat (77.9%), Instagram (63.8%) and YouTube (58.8%) were the most reported platforms used. Regarding their sleep quality, 34.7% of students were poor sleepers. TikTok use (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.01-1.77), hours spent on social media (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.16-1.37) and having moderate to severe depressive symptoms (OR 1.69, 95% CI 1.19-2.40) were significant independent predictors of poor sleep among the studied sample.

Conclusion

The present study emphasized the association between prolonged use of social media and poor sleep quality among Saudi adolescents. Awareness and behavioral change strategies and activities concerning the drawbacks of poor sleep and proper use of social media are urgently called for to control mental and physical health consequences of poor sleep and social media addiction.

The relationship between family functioning and social media addiction among university students: a moderated mediation model of depressive symptoms and peer support

BACKGROUND

Social media addiction (SMA) is an increasing problem, especially among young adults. Little is known about university students' SMA and family functioning. This study aimed to explore the mediating effect of depressive symptoms and the moderating effect of peer support in the relationship between family functioning and SMA among young adults.

METHODS

A sample of 1862 Chinese university students completed an online survey including the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), Family APGAR, the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), peer support, and demographic characteristics. Hierarchical regression and moderated mediation analysis were used to test the effects and pathways among them.

RESULTS

Of the 1840 participants, 30.11% experienced SMA, 38.80% had family dysfunction and 15.98% had depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression showed better family functioning significantly predicted less SMA (β = -0.26, p < 0.001) and lower depressive symptoms (β = -0.58, p < 0.001), after adjusting for covariates. Mediation analysis verified that depressive symptoms mediated the effect of family functioning on SMA (indirect effect = -0.22, 95%CI[-0.28, -0.17]). Furthermore, the interaction of family functioning and peer support was negatively related to depressive symptoms (β= -0.03, 95% CI[-0.05, -0.01]) and the interaction of depressive symptoms and peer support was positively related to SMA (β = 0.01, 95%CI[0.004, 0.02]). Additional analysis further confirmed that peer support decreased depressive symptoms among young adults from dysfunctional families, and increased SMA behaviors in individuals with depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Better family functioning and lower depressive symptoms may contribute to less social media addiction among Chinese university students. Peer support could moderate the mediating role of depressive symptoms on social media addiction in individuals with family dysfunction.

The Role of Social Media Advertisement and Physical Activity on Eating Behaviors among the General Population in Saudi Arabia

Over the past few decades, people in Saudi Arabia have become less inclined to adopt active lifestyles and healthy eating habits due to the increasing use of digital technologies such as social media. The objective of this online-based cross-sectional study was to assess the role of social media food advertisements and physical activity on eating behaviors among the general population in Saudi Arabia (n = 471). Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, which consisted of four parts: (i) sociodemographic information, (ii) attitude towards social media, (iii) eating behaviors-related information, and (iv) exposure to and engagement with social media advertisements. The study's outcome variable, eating behaviors (healthy vs. unhealthy), was assessed using the following question: "Are you on a healthy diet (such as a balanced diet, keto, or low carb)?" A multiple binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the factors that influence unhealthy eating behaviors. Approximately 79.6% of the participants had unhealthy eating behaviors. Participants who were not involved in daily physical activity were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors compared to their counterparts (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 4.86). Participants who watched food ads on social media channels 1-3 times a week (AOR = 2.58) or daily (AOR = 3.49) were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors than their counterparts. Participants whose appetite to try foods increases always (AOR = 1.42) or usually (AOR = 2.88) after viewing ads on social media were more likely to have unhealthy eating behaviors. These findings suggest that policymakers should take immediate action to regulate food advertising policy to promote a healthy food environment across the country. Saudis should be encouraged to engage in more physical activity, which could support the maintenance of healthy eating patterns and lifestyles.

Unpacking the Role of YouTube Influencers in Shaping Healthy Attitudes and Behaviors in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Social media, notably YouTube (Google LLC, Mountain View, California, United States), has transformed global communication and access to information. In Saudi Arabia, with high internet usage, YouTube influencers play a significant role in shaping health attitudes and behaviors. This study investigates the impact of YouTube influencers on health behaviors among Saudi Arabian residents, considering the unique cultural and socio-demographic context. Methods We conducted a community-based cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia. We surveyed a convenience sample of 703 young Saudi participants from September 2022 to March 2023. Data collection utilized an anonymous online questionnaire distributed via popular social media platforms. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic information, health habits, perceptions of influencers, and their impact on health attitudes. Descriptive statistics, including percentages, frequencies, means, and standard deviations, were employed to summarize participant characteristics and health-related variables. Pearson's chi-square test was utilized to compare response variables among different groups. Results Findings show significant gender disparities in health habits, with males more likely to smoke but females less physically active (p<0.01). Influencers were perceived as encouraging healthy habits by 71.7% of participants, yet 55.6% also believed they promoted unhealthy habits. Positive outcomes included dietary improvements (62.6%) and smoking cessation (20.5%). People preferred healthcare influencers the most (66.8%), followed by sports and fashion influencers. Conclusions This study highlights YouTube influencers' substantial influence on health behaviors in Saudi Arabia. It suggests the potential for influencers, especially in healthcare, to contribute positively to public health. Viewer discernment is essential due to varying influencer impacts. These findings underscore the complex role of YouTube influencers in shaping health behaviors and suggest avenues for targeted health interventions.

Social Media Usage and Academic Performance Among Medical Students in Medina, Saudi Arabia

Background

Social media are websites and applications enabling users to create or share content and communicate. The widespread use of social media among university students and easy access during class and study time raises concern about its impact on academic performance. This study aims to determine the impact of social media usage, addiction, and exposure on students' academic performance.

Methods

An online cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling among undergraduate medical students in Medina, KSA during the academic year 2021/2022. We used the chi-square and fisher's exact tests to determine the impact of social media usage on academic performance.

Results

842 medical students participated in our study. 57.1% were females, 24.8% were in the 5th academic year, and 56.5% had a Grade Point Average (GPA) in the range of 4.5 to 5. Moreover, 26.1% of the students use social networking sites for 3-4 hours, and males are more addicted to social media than females. Our results showed that students with excellent GPAs (GPA ≥ 4.5) are less likely to be addicted to social media networks (54.8%), and they perceive that using social media is not helping to improve their grades compared to other students. Also, showed that those who are addicted to social media benefit from the use of social media to improve their grades. There is no significant difference between genders in social media usage as if it helps them improve their grades. Moreover, no difference between the academic years in addiction and usage of social media.

Conclusion

This study has revealed that students with higher levels were less addicted to social media, and those who are addicted benefit from using social media to improve their grades. We call for using social media as a supporting tool for academic performance and achievement among university students.

Social Comparison and Body Image in Teenage Users of the TikTok App

BACKGROUND AND AIM

The TikTok app is one of the video-based social media platforms that is currently trending and commonly used by teenagers. The data about teenage users of the TikTok app are limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of TikTok app use among teenagers in Saudi Arabia and to investigate the association between TikTok app use and the social comparison and the body image of the study population. Further, to explore the potential associations between the social comparison and the body image of the TikTok app users and their different characteristics.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey study was conducted all over Saudi Arabia. The study included male and female teenagers, aged 12-19 years. The researchers used a structured, self-administered questionnaire to collect data, and it was disseminated using different social media platforms. The social comparison was measured using the questionnaire of the Iowa-Netherlands Comparison Orientation Measure, and the body image was measured using the Measurement of the Body Image Scale. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 26 (Chicago, IL: SSPS Inc.). Continuous variables were compared using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, or Kruskal-Wallis tests, whereas categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate. Spearman's rank correlation was applied to investigate the association between body image and social comparison scores among TikTok app users and non-users.

RESULTS

This study included 384 Saudi teenagers. Females (n=260) outnumbered males (n=124) (67.7% and 32.3%, respectively), and the mean of their age was 16.3±2.0 years. The researchers found a high prevalence (343/384, 89.3%) of TikTok app use among the studied teenagers. There was a significantly high median of the social comparison score among the TikTok app users (33.0, IQR: 28.0-38.0) compared to the non-users (28.0, IQR: 26.0-34.0), p=0.005. TikTok app users also showed a significantly lower median body image score (64.0, IQR: 54.0-72.0) in comparison to the non-users (67.0, IQR: 58.0-73.0), p=0.037. The correlation between social comparison and body image among teenagers using TikTok showed a negative relationship, but it was not significant (p=0.110). However, a significant negative weak relationship was found between body image and comparison of abilities (rs coefficient=-0.113, p=0.037).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of the current study indicate a high prevalence of TikTok use among teenagers in Saudi Arabia. The use of TikTok was associated with a high social comparison and a negative body image, with more than half of the users expressing a negative body image. Comparison of abilities was associated with an increased level of body dissatisfaction. These findings emphasize the need for the development and implementation of public health policies and awareness programs to promote body acceptance, especially for young people across the country. Future studies should focus on the long-term impact of TikTok use on psychological health.