Social media communication and digital learning inclusion: effects on student wellbeing and social change in higher...

While social media has become integral to higher education, limited research examines its mechanisms for improving student wellbeing and social consciousness. This study addresses the gap by investigating whether digital learning inclusion mediates the relationship between social media communication and student outcomes, and how this pathway varies by institutional and individual factors. A cross-sectional survey of 650 students from multiple universities employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to test direct and indirect effects, complemented by multi-group and moderation analyses. Results reveal that an estimated 54% of social media communication's association with wellbeing, and 24% of its association with social change orientation, operated indirectly through digital learning inclusion, with substantial moderation by digital literacy (38.9% effect difference), institutional support (37.5%), and socioeconomic status. These findings extend Social Cognitive Theory and Digital Inclusion frameworks by foregrounding mechanisms over technologies and demonstrating that institutional equity commitments were associated with more effective use of social media for holistic student development. The study offers evidence-based guidance for institutional practice and identifies equity disparities requiring targeted intervention.