Overuse of Social Media Can Have a Negative Impact on the Grades of College Women

A new study led by Jennifer L. Walsh, an assistant professor at the Miriam Hospital Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island, a teaching hospital affiliated with the medical school at Brown University, finds that women college students who a great deal of time on social media do not perform as well academically as other college women.

The study surveyed nearly 500 first-year women students on their habits regarding social media. The researchers then followed up to determine the grade point averages of these women at the end of their first and second semesters in college. The results showed that the more time these women spent using social media, the worse their academic performance.

“We found women who spend more time using some forms of media report fewer academic behaviors, such as completing homework and attending class, lower academic confidence and more problems affecting their school work, like lack of sleep and substance use,” stated Dr. Walsh.

The study, “Female College Students’ Media Use and Academic Outcomes: Result From a Longitudinal Cohort Study,” was published on the website of the journal Emerging Adulthood.