Testing a Structural Model of Social Media Addiction, Sleep Quality, Academic Burnout, and Psychological Well-Being among High School Students
Keywords:
Social media addiction, Sleep quality, Academic burnout, Psychological well-being, High school students, Structural equation modelingAbstract
Objective: This study aimed to test a structural model explaining the direct and indirect relationships among social media addiction, sleep quality, academic burnout, and psychological well-being among high school students in Canada.
Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 718 high school students from Ontario, Canada, during the 2025–2026 academic year. Participants were selected through multistage cluster sampling from public high schools and completed standardized self-report questionnaires. Social media addiction was measured using the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, academic burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey, and psychological well-being was assessed using Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 29 and AMOS version 29. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling were used. Model fit was evaluated using χ²/df, CFI, TLI, GFI, RMSEA, and SRMR. Indirect effects were examined through bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples.
Findings: The structural model showed acceptable fit to the data (χ²/df = 2.12, CFI = .957, TLI = .951, GFI = .924, RMSEA = .039, SRMR = .041). Social media addiction significantly predicted poorer sleep quality (β = .52, p < .001), higher academic burnout (β = .39, p < .001), and lower psychological well-being (β = -.24, p < .001). Poor sleep quality significantly predicted academic burnout (β = .31, p < .001) and psychological well-being (β = -.18, p < .001). Academic burnout was the strongest direct predictor of psychological well-being (β = -.49, p < .001). Bootstrapping confirmed significant indirect effects through sleep quality, academic burnout, and the serial pathway from sleep quality to academic burnout.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that social media addiction undermines psychological well-being among high school students both directly and indirectly through impaired sleep quality and increased academic burnout. School-based interventions should integrate digital behavior regulation, sleep hygiene education, and burnout prevention strategies.
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References
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