The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine (October 2017) Vol.

69 (7), Page 2910-2917

Effect of Social Media Network on Social Relations and Academic

Achievement Among Medical Students
Ali Mohammad Ali Aljabry, Ahmed Ali Ahmed Jaafari, Mohammed Abdullah Mohammed
Salawi, Fahad Abdoh Taher Majrabi, Nagi Mohammed Ahmed Hazzazi, Ahmed Hadi A Khormi,
Mohammad Ali Mousa Daghriri, Abdulaziz Mohammed Abdullah Alfaqih, Mohmmed
Ahmad Mohmmed Al-harobi, Saud Abdulaziz Musa Alqahtani
Jazan University
Corresponding Author: Ali Aljabry <a_aljabry@hotmail.com>

ABSTRACT
Background: Social networks influence the lives of individuals and communities. They have several
advantages; however, they have many disadvantages including its adverse effect on social life and
academic performance of students. They are reasons for time-consuming, individuals can even addict
these sites.
Aim of the work: this study aimed to determine impact of social media on academic performance and
social relationships as well as factors associated with social media and pattern of using social media.
Methods: This was an observational cross-sectional study which was conducted in Jazan University; it
included 205 (45.1%) male students and 250 (54.9%) female medical students. A questionnaire was
used to perform this study. SPSS was used to analyze data.
Results: The present results showed that the most common used sites were facebook (53%), 65.9% of
students used social networks for more than three years, 58.5% used these sites for 2 to 4 hours. Gender
was a significant factor regarding using Facebook and WhatsApp (P-value=0.001, 0.004 respectively),
the only significance was found between the different academic years was regarding WhatsApp (P-
value=0.001) which was commonly used by fourth-year students (46.1%). Both numbers of hours and
using social media during lectures influenced study level (P-value=0.01, 0.021 respectively).
Conclusion: The most common social site used was Face book and the social media affected the
academic performance of students negatively. Social media has both positive and negative effect on
social relations.
Keywords: social media, academic performance, social media effects.

INTRODUCTION
Social media was defined as "internet- There are advantages of social media
based applications that allow the creation and such as convenient access to information, fast
change of content which is user-generated" [1]. and efficient communication with other people,
Social media involves a group of applications promoting tool for businesses and collaborative
and websites that enable users to share their environment [8]. Social media also has different
ideas, feelings, different contents, experiences roles in education [9].
and communicate with other users [2]. There was Social media also has several disadvantages
a rapid expansion of social media which lead to including personal data leakage, time wasting
dramatic alteration in the world; this rapid and recruitment for jobs [10], causing anxiety,
increase can be attributed to several factors such depression, sleep problems and addiction to
as easy of accessibility and use, availability of social media which affects and interferes with
mobile phones and tablets [3]. performing daily missions[11].

The most popular social media include Also, these sites can make fundamental
twitter, WhatsApp, facebook, facebook changes in social relations and social life [6]. A
messenger, skype, Viber, Instagram and we-chat study had investigated the effect of using social
[4].
Facebook is the most popular social media in media on the academic performance of students
[10].
the world with 1.65 billion users and the age Social media sites have effects on the lives of
group of 20-29 years represented 30% of total students and their academic achievement as well
users [4], however in Saudi Arabia twitters users as the duration of their studies [12,13]. A study
are higher [5]. Many students consider using from Pakistan revealed that the use of social
social media sites as a component of their lives media affected negatively on lives and education
[6].
It was found in one study that 90% of college of teenagers and children [14].
individuals were facebook users [7].
2910
Received:21 /09/2017 DOI:
Accepted: 30 /09/2017
 Effect of Social Media Network on Social Relations…

Another study was performed on 250 (54.9%) female students. A questionnaire

Nigerian students and it was found that the was used to perform this study.
social media didn't affect the studies of
students[15]. A study from Iran was performed on All the information of participants were kept
medical students showed a negative association confidential, students who accepted to
between using of social network sites and GPA participate in this study gave a written informed
of students [6]. consent, it was available to the student to refuse
While, in a study conducted at Malaysia consent to participate in this study.
University showed that the social media
enhanced student’s grades as social media Statistical analysis
increased the communications and discussion Data were analyzed using SPSS software
between students and their instructors [16]. A version 16, a simple descriptive analysis in the
studycarried out by Abbas et al.[17] form of numbers and percentages. Chi-square
was used as a test of significance to detect the
On the medical students showed that association between social phobia and variables,
there was a positive effect of social media using with a significant level of less than 0.05.
the academic performance of students according
to student’s opinion. Most of the studies RESULTS
conducted on this subject focused on academic The present study included 205 (45.1%)
performance, not social life, so this study aimed male students and 250 (54.9%) female students,
to determine the effect of social media on both the large majority of them were from the second
academic performance and social relationship as medical year 139(30.5%) followed by those
well as to determine the factors associated with from the third year 110(24.2%), fourth year
using social media. 102(22.4%) and finally fifth and sixth years
55(12.1%) and 49(10.8%) respectively. The
SUBJECTS AND METHODS pattern of using social media among participants
is shown in table1. Using of facebook was the
Study design and subjects most common among participants (53%)
This study was an observational cross- followed by using twitter (35.6%) then
sectional study which was conducted at Jazan Instagram and WhatsApp (34.3%) and (28.8%)
University on 205 (45.1%) male students and respectively.

2911
 Ali Aljabry et al.
Table 1: the pattern of using social media between the medical students
Pattern N %
Uses
Facebook 241 53.0
Twitter 162 35.6
Instagram 156 34.3
WhatsApp 131 28.8
Since when using social networking sites
low than one year 23 5.1
from 1 to 3 years 132 29.0
more than three years 300 65.9
Number of hours
less than 1 hour 98 21.5
from 2 to 4 hours 266 58.5
from 5 to 10 hours 76 16.7
more than 10 hours 15 3.3
Entering sites
Home 439 96.5
university 97 21.3
internet cafe 16 3.5
While the use of networking sites you be
alone 379 83.3
with your friends 31 6.8
with one of your family 45 9.9
Favorite service
participation of opinions 153 33.6%
media sharing 160 35.2%
to express an opinion and say what inside the self 148 32.5%
chat 166 36.5%
science and education 183 40.2%
games 67 14.7
Use the real name
yes 103 22.6
no 352 77.4
Causes of using social media
For Fun 300 65.9
For Knowledge and Education 264 58.0
Communication with Relatives and Friends 208 45.7
For Spend of Time 164 36.0
To Avoid Stress &Boring 59 13.0
to identify new persons 78 17.1
Most of the participants 65.9% used social names, the dominant cause for not using the real
networking sites more than three years ago, 29% name was feel freedom (24%) and an equal percent
from 1 to3 years and 5.1% only used them one year reported that the reason was fear from identity by
ago. The large majority of students used social another and desire to change their real characters,
networks from 2 to 4 hours 58.5% and the least 2.4% for each reason. While the most dominant
percent 3.3% used them for more than 10 hours. reason for using the real name was they wanted to
There were 96.5% entered social networks from express their characters (50.5%), 13.6% reported
home, 21.3% from university and 3.5% only from that they wanted to get trust from their participants
internet café. Most of the students (83.3%) used and 32.5% said that they wanted to be found easily
sites alone, the most common favorite service was by others. Regarding gender, there were
science and education 40.2% and the least common significance differences regarding the use of
favorite service was games (14.7%). The most facebook and Whatsapp between males and females
common cause for using social media was fun (P-value=0.001, 0.004 respectively). However, no
(65.9%) and the least common cause was avoiding significance differences were found regarding using
stress and boring (13%). 77.4% didn’t use their real of twitter and Instagram (Table 2).

2912
 Effect of Social Media Network on Social Relations…

Table2: sex differences in social media use

Networks Males ( 205) Females ( 255) P values

Face book 130 111 <0.001*
63.4% 44.4%
twitter 75 87 0.69
36.6% 34.8%
Instagram 70 86 0.712
34.1% 34.4%
Whats 73 58 0.004*
35.6% 23.2%
*P-value; significant

Differences in use of social media regarding the academic year showed that there was only
significance difference regarding using of WhatsApp between the different academic years (P-
value=0.001), students from the fourth year were the most group to use WhatsApp.
There was no significant difference between the different academic years regarding using of facebook,
twitter or Instagram (Table3).

Table3: the use of social media among students from the different academic years
Social Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth year P-value
networks year year year year N (%) N (%)
N (%) N (%) N (%)
Facebook 64(46%) 54(49.1%) 62(60.8%) 36(65.6%) 25(51%) 0.053
Twitter 47(33.8%) 50(45.5%) 28(27.5%) 18(32.7%) 19(38.8%) 0.084
Instagram 49(35.3%) 42(38.2%) 29(28.4%) 19(34.5%) 17(34.7%) 0.038
Whatsapp 32(23%) 16(14.5%) 47(46.1%) 22(40%) 14(28.6%) 0.001*

The opinion of students about the effect of social media on their study results is shown in figure1.

47%
50% 41.50%
40%
30%
20% 11.40%
10%
0%
Decrease Increase No effect

Fig1: the opinion of students about the effect of social media on their results

28 students had low study level, 166 had high study level and 261 had normal study level, a
significant difference (P-value=0.01) was found regarding using hours and the study level of students,
also there was a significant difference regarding the use of social media during lectures and study level
of students (P-value=0.021), table4.

2913
 Ali Aljabry et al.

Table 4: the correlation between study level of students and using hours and different variables

Variables Study level N (%) P-value

Low (28) High (166) Normal (261)
Using hours 0.01
˂1 hour 9(9.2%) 48(49%) 41(41.8%)
2-4 hours 11(4.1%) 89(33.5%) 166(62.4%)
5-10 hours 7(9.2%) 22(28.9%) 47(61.8%)
˃10 hours 1(6.7%) 7(46.7%) 7(46.7%)
Using during lectures 0.021
Yes 13(11.3%) 36(31.3%) 66(57.4%)
No 15(4.4%) 130(38.2%) 195(57.4%)

The perception of students toward using of social media and the social relation is shown in table 5.

Table 5: perception of students toward social media

Questions Agree N (%) Neutral N (%) Disagree N (%)
feeling the lonely and social isolation 148 32.5 138 30.3 168 36.9
feeling involved with social media 186 40.9 87 19.1 182 40.0
friends more than the family
member
feeling involved in social friends 99 21.7 104 22.9 252 55.4
more than the family member
no difference in the relationships 97 21.3 85 18.7 273 60.0
with social media friends and real
friends
time of speaking with social media 205 45.1 106 23.3 144 31.6
friends more than speaking face to
face
social media friends more than real 104 22.9 71 15.6 280 61.5
friends
confidentiality in social media friends 48 10.5 71 15.6 336 73.8
more than in real friends
feeling good relationships with social 148 32.5 127 27.9 180 39.6
media friends makes me attempt to
meeting them face to face
family activity decrease when start 160 35.2 116 25.5 179 39.3
using social media network
social media network use lead to 127 27.9 142 31.2 186 40.9
family disintegration
social media network use lead to 208 45.7 132 29.0 115 25.3
neglect of social duties
visiting relative decreased when start 176 38.7 112 24.6 167 36.7
using social media
social activities in family events 141 31.0 99 21.8 215 47.3
decreased when start using of social
media
Making the person close to relevant 218 47.9 108 23.7 129 28.4
who communicate with, on social
media
using social media has made keep the 276 60.7 119 26.2 60 13.2
old and current relations

2914
 Effect of Social Media Network on Social Relations…

DISCUSSION influence the use of different social sites, we

The present study included 205 (45.1%) found that gender was significantly associated
male students and 250 (54.9%) female medical with the using of both facebook (P-
students to investigate the impact of social value=0.001) and WhatsApp (P-value=0.004).
media on academic performance and social Males tended to use facebook and WhatsApp
relationships. It was stated that facebook is (63.4% and 35.6% respectively) more than
overwhelming social site, but in Saudi Arabia females. However, there were no significant
there is a high number of twitter users [5], differences regarding the use of twitter and
however in this study the most common site Instagram. A survey of 100 students of Baghdad
used by students was facebook representing and Mustansiriya Universities revealed that
53%, while twitter was in the second rank 61.5% of males and 54% of females used
35.6% and the least site used was WhatsApp facebook followed by twitter and youtube [21].
(28.8%). A study was conducted on medical The academic year was not a significant factor
students from Khartoum University [18] showed that affected using of different social sites
that facebook and WhatsApp were the most except for WhatsApp (P-value=0.001), where
social sites used by medical students. The large there was a significant difference between
majority of our students (65.9%) used social students from different academic year in using
networks for more than 3 years. In this study, WhatsApp, the students from the fourth year
students tended to use social networks for 2 to 4 tended to use WhatsApp more than other
hours (58.5%), while least percent 3.3% tended years(46.1% for fourth year students). By
to use them for more than 10 hours. In a investigating the effect of social media on the
previous Saudian study [10] it was found that the study results of students, there were 47%
average time for usage of social media was 10 reported that social media made their study
hours and there were 68% of students spent time results to decrease. The same results were
above the average estimated time. A study was reported by another study [22] and it was shown
performed on medical students from the sixth that excessive use of social media lead to
year showed that most students spent 2 hours decrease in students' grades. In a study from
daily on social media and some other students Iraq [2] it was found that the percent of students
spent more than 6 hours [17]. The most common who reported positive effect of social media on
entering sites between medical participants was their academic performance was higher than
home (96.5%) and the large majority of students those who reported negative effect and no effect
(83.3%) used social sites alone in the current (42%, 33% and 25% respectively), the opposite
study. The most favorite service of social sites was found in our study, where the highest
for students was science and education (40.2%) percent of students reported decrease in their
and the least favorite one was games (14.7%). results followed by those with no effect and
The most prevalent cause for using social media finally with increased performance (47%,
between students was fun (65.9%), while 41.5% and 11.4% respectively). A study from
knowledge and education was in the second Khartoum University [18] demonstrated that
rank (58%), the least common cause was 73.8% of social sites users agreed that social
avoiding stress and boring (17.1%). In a study sites negatively affected their personal academic
carried out by Al-Khalifa [19], it was found that performance and 91% stated that there was a
58% of students used twitter for academic negative effect of using the social media on all
purpose and education. In other studies [6, 20], it students’ academic performance. A study from
was reported that communication with old Nigeria [23] showed that 28% of users agreed that
friends was the most common cause for using there was a negative effect of using the social
social sites, while in our study this cause was in sites on their personal academic performance. In
the third rank between other different reasons. contrast to our results, Camilia et al. [15] in their
Communication with friends represented 54.5% survey found that using of social media
of cases in Iraqi study [2]. Most of our students frequently didn’t affect the studies of students.
(77.4%) didn’t use their real name and the most In a survey study in Saudi Arabia [10], there were
common cause for that was their desire to feel 60% of the respondent students reported that the
freedom (24%), while 22.6% used their real excessive use of social media didn’t affect their
ones and the most common cause mentioned for academic performance. It was reported in many
that was the desire of students to express their studies [6, 13,24] that there was a negative
characters (50.5%). Regarding the factors that association between academic grades and using

2915
 Ali Aljabry et al.

of social network sites, this means that using social media, 47.9% mentioned that felt
increasing usage of social sites leads to close to person with whom they communicate
decreased in academic performance of students. on social media and 60.7% stated that social
Another studies [25-27] which assessed the effect media made them keeping the old and current
of facebook specifically, showed that using relations. From the answers of students about
facebook had no effect on the academic the previous questions we can demonstrate that
performance of students. On the other hand a the social media have positive and negative
study from Malaysian University showed that effects on the social life, however this depends
the grades of students were enhanced by social on the person who use social sites. We couldn’t
media as a result of communications and find any study that focused on the effect of
discussion between students and their social media on the social life of students, also
instructors [16]. It was found that duration of we investigated many points that weren’t
using social media affected the study level of investigated before such as years of using social
students significantly (P-value=0.01), however media, entering sites, using real name on social
most of students participated in this study had media and its causes, the effect of different
either normal level (261) or high level (166), academic on using of different social sites, these
while only 28 had low level. In a study from were strength points of our research, however
Saudi Arabia [10] a negative skew in GPA scores the lack of researches about correlation between
of students was found suggesting that most of social life and using of social media made use
GPA scores were high, whereas low scores were unable to compare our results, so further studies
few. A negative correlation was reported are very recommended.
between duration of time spent on social media
[3,28]
or spent on facebook[7,29,30] and grades of CONCLUSION
students. However, other two studies reported In this study, we could conclude that
that there was no correlation between social facebook was the most common social sites
media time usage of students and the grades of used by medical students in Jazan university,
students [2,17]. Also, using of social media during and the favorite service of social sites for
lecture has influenced on the level of students students was science and education. Gender and
(P-value=0.021), however most of those with being in the academic year were two factors
low level (15 students) didn’t use social media affecting the use of social sites, where gender
during lecture. We investigated the effect of was a significant factor affected using of
social media on the social relationships in this facebook and Whatsapp, while the academic
study. 36.9% of students didn’t feel lonely or year influenced using of WhatsApp. The social
social isolation, 40.9% stated that they felt media caused the decrease in the academic
involved with social media friends more than performance of students and hours of social
family members, 55.4% were disagree that they sites usage and usage during lecture affected the
were involved in social friends than family academic performance of students significantly.
members, also 60% were disagree that there was Also, social media has both positive and
no difference in the relationship with social negative effect on the social life of students.
media friends and real friends. There were
45.1% reported that their time of speaking with REFERENCES
friend in social media was more than that of 1- Kaplan AM and Haenlein M (2010): Users of the
face to face, 61.5% were disagree that their world, unite! The challenges and opportunities for
friends of social media were more than real social media. Business Horizons, 53:59–68.
friends, 73.8% weren’t more confident in social 2-Alahmar AT (2016): The impact of social media on
the academic performance of second-year medical
media friends than real ones. Most of students
students at College of Medicine, University of
(39.6%) didn’t tend to meet their friends on Babylon, Iraq. J Med. Allied Sci., 6( 2 ) : 77-83.
social media even they had good relationship, 3- Owusu-Acheaw M and Larson AG (2015): Use of
39.3% stated that family activity didn’t decrease social media and its impact on academic
by starting use of social media, however 45.7% performance of tertiary institution students: a study
stated that social media use led to neglect of of students of Koforidua Polytechnic, Ghana. J.
social duties and 38.7% reported that visiting Educ. Pract., 6(6):94-101.
relative decreased when starting social media 4- Al-Rahmi WM and Othman MS (2013): The
using. 47.3% of students were disagree that impact of social media uses on academic
social activities in family decreased when start

2916
 Effect of Social Media Network on Social Relations…

performance among university students: a pilot performance and social life among medical students
study. J. Inf. Syst. Res. Innov., 4:1-10. at Khartoum University. International J. of
5- McFedries (2007): Technically speaking . Scientific Technology Research, 3(5):41-46.
Spectrum, 44(10):84 19- Al-Khalifa H S (2008): Twitter in academia: a case
6- Bijari B, Javadinia SA, Erfanian M, Abedini MR study from Saudi Arabia. Learn, 2008(9): 2-12.
and Abassi A (2013): The impact of virtual social 20-Pempek TA, Yermolayeva YA et al.(2009):
networks on students' academic Achievement in College student’s social networking experiences on
Birjand University of Medical Sciences in East Iran. Facebook. Journal of Applied Developmental
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 83:103 – Psychology,30(3): 227-238.
106. 21- Mohammed AT (2015): Patterns and motives of
7- Junco R (2015): Student class standing, Facebook the use of Iraqi university students to social
use and academic performance. J. Appl. Dev. networks. Al-Mustansiriya J. Arts., 0(68):1-40.
Psychol., 36:18-29. 22- Banquil K, Chuna NA, Leano GA, Rivero MA,
8- Guedes E, Nardi AE, Guimarães FM, Machado S Bruce CA, Dianalan SN et al. (2009): Social
and King AL (2016): Social networking, a new networking sites affect one’s academic performance
online addiction: a review of Fa-cebook and other adversely. Available from http://www.ust.edu.ph.
addiction disorders. Medical Express, 3(1):15-19 23- NE, Moss GS, Bradley CL, Larson LR, Lovelace
9- Al-Khalifa H S and Garcia R A (2013):The state of MD, Prevost LB et al.(2012): The facebook effect:
social media in Saudi Arabia’s higher education. college students perceptions of nline discussions in
International Journal of Technology and Educational the age of social networking. Georgia, USA:
Marketing, 3:65–76. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching
10- Alwagait E, Shahzad B and Alim S (2014): and Learning, 6(2):9-14.
Impact of social media usage on students academic 24- Junco R (2012): The relationship between multiple
performance in Saudi Arabia. Computers in Human indices of Facebook use and academic performance.
Behavior‫؟؟؟؟؟؟‬ Computers in Human Behavior, 28: 187–198.
11- Griffiths MD (2013): Social networking addiction: 25- Kolek EA and Saunders D (2012): Online
emerging themes and issues. J. Addict. Res. Ther., 4: disclosure: An empirical examination of
118-122. undergraduate Facebook profiles. NASPA Journal,
12- Thompson LA, Dawson K et al.(2008): The 45(1): 1–25.
intersection of online social networking with medical 26- Pasek J, More E et al.(2009): Facebook and
professionalism. J. Gen. Intern. Med., 23(7): 954– academic performance: reconciling a media
957. sensation with data. First Monday, 14(5): 5-15
13- Kirschner PA and Karpinski AC (2010): 27- O'Brien, S. J. (2011): Facebook and other internet
Facebook and academic performance. Computers in use and the academic performance of college
Human Behavior, 26: 1237–1245. students, TEMPLE UNIVERSITY.
14- Tariq W, Mehboob M, Khan MA and Ullah F https://search.proquest.com/openview/d8f7ed99b60d
(2012): The impact of social media and social 4720d3bbbecbb1fc6eb2/1?pq-
networks on education and students of Pakistan. origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
International Journal of Computer Science Issues, 28- Abdulahi A, Samadi B and Gharleghi B (2014):
9:407–411. A study on the negative effects of social networking
15- Camilia NC, Ibrahim SD and Dalhatu BL (2013): sites such as facebook among Asia pacific university
The effect of social networking sites usage on the scholars in Malaysia. Int. J. Bus. Soc. Sci.,
studies of Nigerian students. The International 5(10):133-145.
Journal of Engineering and Science, 2:39–46. 29- Junco R, Cotten SR (2012): The relationship
16- Helou AM and Ab.Rahim NZ (2014): The between multitasking and academic performance.
influence of social networking sites on students’ Comput. Educ., 59(2):505-514.
academic performance in Malaysia. Int. J. Electron 30- Michikyan M, Subrahmanyam K and Dennis J
Commer. Stud., 5(2):247-254. (2012): Facebook use and academic performance
17- Abbas AH, Hammoud SS and Abed SK (2015): among college students: a mixed-methods study with
The effects of social media on the undergraduate a multi-ethnic sample. Comput. Human Behav.,
medical students. Karbala J. Med., 8(1):2161-2166. 45:265-272.
18-A'lamElhuda D (2014): The impact of facebook and
others social networks usage on academic

2917