Impact of Social Media Use on Mental Health, Academic Performance, and Procrastination Among Medical College Students...

Background Social media platforms (SMPs) have become an integral part of students' lives, influencing learning behaviors, time management, and mental well-being. However, there is limited evidence regarding their impact among medical students in Aruba. This study aimed to evaluate social media usage patterns and examine their perceived effects on mental health, academic performance, and academic procrastination. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted between April and July 2025 among 25 medical students at Xavier University School of Medicine using a structured 29-item questionnaire. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling via voluntary online participation. Descriptive statistics were reported as frequencies and percentages. Due to the small sample size, Fisher's exact test was used to assess associations between social media usage patterns (platform and duration) and outcomes including mental health, academic performance, and procrastination. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to evaluate relationships between daily usage (hours/day) and academic score, perceived academic performance, and procrastination. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. The small sample size is an important limitation and may limit the generalizability of the findings. Results Participants classified as heavy social media users (>3 hours/day; n=16/25 (64%)) reported higher levels of anxiety (66.7% vs. 22.2%; p=0.041) and greater mental or physical health impacts (55.6% vs. 11.1%; p=0.040) compared to light users (≤3 hours/day). They also demonstrated significantly higher academic procrastination, including increased distraction while studying (66.7% vs. 22.2%; p=0.041) and a greater likelihood of missing academic deadlines (55.6% vs. 11.1%; p=0.040). Although heavy users reported a stronger urge to use social media (61.1% vs. 22.2%), this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.097). Light users were significantly more likely to use social media for academic purposes (77.8% vs. 22.2%; p=0.017). Correlation analysis showed that increased time spent on social media was significantly negatively associated with academic score (r=-0.47; p=0.015) and perceived academic performance (r=-0.44; p=0.019). A weak positive correlation was observed between social media use and academic procrastination (r=0.17), which was not statistically significant (p=0.41). Conclusion Moderate social media use may support academic engagement, particularly when used for educational purposes; however, excessive use is associated with increased anxiety, poorer well-being, greater academic procrastination, and lower academic performance. These findings suggest that the impact of social media depends not only on duration but also on the purpose and pattern of use. Promoting mindful, structured, and balanced social media habits may help optimize students' academic outcomes and well-being.