Objective: To investigate the prevalence and impact of social media addiction on the psychological well-being and academic performance of secondary school students in Al-Emara City, Iraq.
Method: The study was conducted over seven months, from (November - 2022 to May – 2023). The study focused on secondary school students in Al-Emara city, Maysan governorate. A total of 385 secondary school students were selected to participate in the study. The sample included both male and female students from various secondary schools in Al-Emara city. Participants were distributed across different age groups (typically 13-18 years. Results: Female users (59.5%) outnumbered males (40.5%), Urban users (62.3%) significantly higher than rural (37.7 %), 50.3% spend three or more hours daily on social media, most popular platforms YouTube (53.2%) and Instagram (36.3%). The results observed that 67.8% use real names on social media, 88.2% claim to provide accurate profile information, and 94 % believe social media contributes to personal development. Academic and Psychological Impacts observed that 58 % believe frequent use negatively affects academic performance,77.2% report sleep disturbances,72.9% experience mental disorientation after use, and 62.5% report health or psychological issues related to social media use.
Conclusion: The study reveals a complex relationship between social media use and student well-being. While students recognize benefits in personal development, many experience negative impacts on sleep, mental clarity, and academic performance. Findings suggest a need for targeted interventions to promote healthy digital habits and leverage social media for educational purposes while mitigating its adverse effects.