The effect of social media addiction on daytime sleepiness and academic performance in adolescents

Introduction and Objective: Social media refers to digital communication tools that allow people to interact with each other, share information, and create content through various platforms on the internet. Social media can have both positive and negative effects on individuals. In particular, during adolescence, when individuals are more prone to risky behaviors such as addiction, excessive use of social media may lead to addiction, disrupt sleep patterns, cause daytime sleepiness, and negatively impact academic performance. In this context, our study aims to examine the relationship between social media addiction, daytime sleepiness, and academic success in adolescents and contribute to the literature. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted between February 7, 2024, and April 7, 2024, at the Adolescent Health Clinic of the Department of Pediatrics at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital. The study included patients who met the inclusion criteria and provided written informed consent. The research data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Data Questionnaire, the Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire (CASQ). For statistical analysis, the SPSS 25 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 25) software program was utilized. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 250 participants were included in the study. Of the participants, 69.6% (n=174) were female. The average age of the participants was 14.88±1.76 years. Adolescents from families with a low monthly income level had significantly higher scores on the Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire (CASQ). It was found that female adolescents had significantly higher CASQ scores, and a positive, moderate correlation was observed between the participants' CASQ scores and their ages. Additionally, adolescents with higher academic success and better study habits had significantly lower scores on both the Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and CASQ. A positive, moderate correlation was found between the participants' Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and CASQ scores. It was observed that as social media usage time increased, both Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and CASQ scores significantly increased. Furthermore, adolescents with higher academic performance and better study habits had significantly lower Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and CASQ scores. A positive moderate correlation was also found between participants' Social Media Addiction Scale for Adolescents and CASQ scores. Conclusion: In our study, it was observed that as income level decreased, social media addiction and daytime sleepiness increased; daytime sleepiness was higher in female adolescents, and it increased with age. Additionally, as social media usage duration increased, both social media addiction and daytime sleepiness also increased. Furthermore, adolescents with higher academic performance and better study habits had lower levels of social media addiction and daytime sleepiness. It was found that social media addiction increases daytime sleepiness in adolescents. Keyword: Social media, addiction, excessive daytime sleepiness, academic performance