A Study on the Relationship Between Social Media Addiction and Academic Decline Among Students of Balkh University

الملخص

In today’s world, social networks have become a central axis for communication and a facilitating tool among users in various fields, including the educational sector in Afghanistan. This research aims to investigate the relationship between social network addiction and the academic failure of students at Balkh University and to examine this relationship from the perspective of students across the sixteen faculties of the university. The objectives of the study are to analyze patterns of internet and social network use in the teaching–learning process and to identify their potential advantages and disadvantages for students’ academic performance. The statistical population comprised all students of Balkh University. Using a quantitative survey method, a sample of 25 students from each faculty was selected, and based on the Cochran formula, 375 valid questionnaires were analyzed. To ensure sufficient data, 400 questionnaires were distributed and processed using the SPSS program. The theoretical framework of the research is grounded in Uses and Gratifications Theory and Dependency Theory. The results indicate that students use the internet and social networks extensively, reflecting a high level of dependency and, in some cases, addictive behavior. However, despite this dependency, the findings reveal no significant relationship between social network addiction and a decline in students’ academic quality. On the contrary, the results suggest that the use of social networks can play a fundamental role in improving students’ academic performance within the educational context.