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Na iga ing digi al dis ac ions: Add essing academic
p oc as ina ion in medical s uden s amids social media and
sma phone use
Omid Saed 1
1Depa men o Clinical Psychology, School o Medicine, Zanjan Uni e si y o Medical Sciences, Zanjan, I an
A icle in o
Recen es ima es indica e ha medical s uden s check
hei sma phones o e 100 imes daily, equen ly
du ing academic ac i i ies, lec u es, and s udy sessions.
This pe asi e digi al engagemen may seem
innocuous, bu g owing e idence highligh s a da ke
side: a s ong associa ion be ween excessi e
sma phone/social media use and academic
p oc as ina ion. O e 60% o medical s uden s epo
expe iencing mode a e o high le els o academic
p oc as ina ion, wi h sma phone and social media use
iden i ied as majo con ibu ing ac o s. In eg a ing
sma phones and social media in o e e yday li e has
signi ican ly enhanced connec i i y and in o ma ion
access. Howe e , among medical s uden s, excessi e
digi al engagemen has been associa ed wi h academic
p oc as ina ion, nega i ely impac ing academic
pe o mance. Recen s udies unde sco e he u gency o
add essing his issue h ough e idence-based
in e en ions.
P e alence and impac
The esea ch unde sco es a signi ican p e alence o
mobile phone addic ion and academic p oc as ina ion
among medical s uden s. A s udy in ol ing Chinese
medical s uden s demons a ed ha mobile phone
addic ion ad e sely a ec s lea ning commi men ,
academic pe o mance, and in e pe sonal ela ionships,
ul ima ely comp omising academic success [1].
Simila ly, a s udy in Peshawa epo ed ha 81% o
medical s uden s exhibi ed social media addic ion,
while 63% displayed mode a e academic
p oc as ina ion. A signi ican posi i e co ela ion ( =
.539) was ound be ween social media addic ion and
academic p oc as ina ion, emphasizing he de imen al
e ec s o excessi e digi al engagemen [2]. In I an,
s udies ha e u he elucida ed his ela ionship. One
in es iga ion e ealed ha he ea o missing ou
(FoMO) exace ba es loneliness and sma phone
addic ion, con ibu ing o academic decline. The
media ing ole o loneliness and poo academic
pe o mance highligh s he complex in e play be ween
digi al engagemen and educa ional ou comes [3].
Addi ionally, esea ch by Rasouli e al. iden i ied
p oblema ic social media use as a di ec p edic o o
academic p oc as ina ion, wi h sel -con ol playing a
c ucial media ing ole. S uden s wi h lowe sel -con ol
exhibi ed highe le els o p oc as ina ion, unde sco ing
he need o in e en ions ha os e sel - egula ion o
enhance academic ocus [4].
Con ibu ing ac o s
Se e al ac o s con ibu e o he connec ion be ween
digi al de ice use and academic p oc as ina ion.
Impulsi i y, which is ma ked by challenges in
main aining ocus and planning asks, is a p edic o o
poo sleep ou comes among s uden s. Excessi e
sma phone use, academic p oc as ina ion, and bed ime
p oc as ina ion o m a cycle ha diminishes academic
How o ci e his a icle:
Saed O. Na iga ing digi al dis ac ions:
Add essing academic p oc as ina ion in
medical s uden s amids social media
and sma phone use. J Med Educ De .
2025; 18(2): 153-155.
Saed e al. J Med Edu De . 2025; 18(2): 153-155 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen
Le e o he edi o
A icle his o y:
Recei ed 5 Ap . 2025
Accep ed 20 Ap . 2025
Published 13 Jul. 2025
*Co esponding au ho :
Omid Saed, Depa men o Clinical Psychology, School o
Medicine, Zanjan Uni e si y o Medical Sciences, Zanjan,
I an..
Email: [email protected]
[ DOI: 10.61882/edcj.18.2.153 ] [ Downloaded om edujou nal.zums.ac.i on 2025-10-03 ]
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Khoddam e al.: Pa icipa o y ac ion esea ch on amewo k o p omo ing
154 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 2 ¦ 2025
p oduc i i y [5]. Mo eo e , p oblema ic social media
use has been shown o p edic academic
p oc as ina ion, wi h sel -con ol as a key media o .
This unde sco es he impo ance o indi idual sel -
egula ion in mi iga ing he nega i e e ec s o digi al
dis ac ions [4].
P e en i e s a egies
To mi iga e he nega i e e ec s o sma phone and
social media use on academic pe o mance, he
ollowing s a egies a e ecommended:
1. Digi al Li e acy Educa ion: In eg a ing digi al
li e acy p og ams in o medical cu icula can equip
s uden s wi h skills o manage digi al dis ac ions
e ec i ely. This os e s sel - egula ion and academic
sel -e icacy, educing p oc as ina ion endencies [1].
2. Time Managemen T aining: Wo kshops ocusing on
e ec i e ime managemen can help s uden s alloca e
speci ic pe iods o s udy and leisu e, minimizing he
emp a ion o non-academic digi al ac i i ies du ing
s udy hou s [6].
3. Mind ulness and Sel -Regula ion Techniques:
Inco po a ing mind ulness p ac ices can imp o e sel -
awa eness and help s uden s gain con ol o e
impulsi e beha iou s, ul ima ely educing
p oc as ina ion. These echniques can be augh h ough
s uc u ed wo kshops and seamlessly in eg a ed in o
s uden s' daily ou ines [7].
4. P omo ion o Heal hy Sleep Habi s: Educa ing
s uden s on he impo ance o sleep and i s impac on
academic pe o mance can encou age beha iou s ha
educe bed ime p oc as ina ion, such as limi ing
sma phone use be o e sleep [1].
5. Pee Suppo Sys ems: Es ablishing pee men o ing
p og ams can p o ide s uden s wi h suppo and
accoun abili y, os e ing a communi y ha discou ages
p oc as ina ion and p omo es academic diligence [5].
Educa ional and psychological in e en ions
Beyond p e en i e measu es, a ge ed educa ional and
psychological in e en ions can add ess exis ing
p oc as ina ion beha iou s:
- Cogni i e Beha io al The apy (CBT): CBT has been
p o en e ec i e in add essing p oc as ina ion by
helping indi iduals iden i y and modi y maladap i e
hough pa e ns and beha iou s. Implemen ing CBT-
based wo kshops can suppo s uden s in de eloping
heal hie academic habi s [6].
- Beha io al Con ac s: De eloping s uc u ed
ag eemen s ha ou line speci ic academic goals and
associa ed ewa ds can mo i a e s uden s o adhe e o
s udy schedules and minimize p oc as ina ion [1].
- Sleep Hygiene P og ams: Ini ia i es ha aise
awa eness abou he co ela ion be ween sleep quali y
and academic pe o mance can encou age s uden s o
adop habi s ha ensu e adequa e es , educing bed ime
p oc as ina ion [1].
Conclusion
The ela ionship be ween sma phone and social media
use and academic p oc as ina ion among medical
s uden s poses a signi ican challenge ha necessi a es
a comp ehensi e app oach. By implemen ing
p e en i e s a egies and a ge ed in e en ions,
educa ional ins i u ions can os e en i onmen s ha
p omo e e ec i e lea ning and academic success.
Add essing his issue is c ucial o ensu ing medical
s uden s can na iga e he digi al age wi hou
comp omising hei academic po en ial. I is essen ial
o medical educa o s and cu iculum designe s o
implemen s uc u ed in e en ions wi hin educa ional
p og ams o assis s uden s in o e coming digi al
dis ac ions and main aining academic ocus in he
digi al age.
Con lic s o in e es
The au ho decla es no con lic o in e es .
E hical conside a ions
No applicable.
Suppo ing esou ces
No applicable.
Re e ences
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2. Naushad K, Jamil B, Khan NA, Jadoon M.
Co ela ion be ween social media addic ion and
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Saed e al.: Add essing academic p oc as ina ion in medical s uden s amids social media and sma phone use
Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen ¦ Volume 18 ¦ Issue 2 ¦ 2025 155
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