RIYADH — Saudi university students spend an average of three hours and 28 minutes a day on social media, while more than 42% report low psychological well-being, according to a recent scientific study, Okaz newspaper reported.The study, involving 2,540 male and female students from Saudi public and private universities, was published in BMC Psychology, a Springer Nature journal, on Aug. 10, 2026.First-year students recorded the highest social media use, averaging three hours and 49 minutes per day, compared with three hours and 22 minutes among third-year students and three hours and 19 minutes among fourth-year students.The findings showed that 42.8% of participants fell within the low psychological well-being category. The overall average psychological well-being score stood at 52.98 out of 100, a level researchers classified as borderline and requiring further monitoring.Questionnaires were distributed to approximately 10,000 students, with 2,540 completed responses received, representing a response rate of 25.4%.Fifth-year students recorded the lowest level of psychological well-being, with an average score of 47.58 out of 100, while first-year students posted the highest average at 54.41. First-year students also reported higher levels of social support than their second-year counterparts.The findings showed that 72.7% of students experienced moderate levels of loneliness and social isolation, while 56.5% reported moderate smartphone dependence and 56.4% reported moderate social support.Despite these psychological and social challenges, 44% of participants demonstrated a high level of academic engagement.The study found no significant differences between male and female students in social isolation, smartphone dependence or psychological well-being. Women accounted for 60% of the sample and men 40%, while participants were almost evenly divided between public universities, at 49.7%, and private universities, at 50.3%.One of the study's key findings was a clear association between greater social isolation and lower psychological well-being, while stronger social support was associated with better well-being.Smartphone dependence did not emerge as a direct factor explaining lower psychological well-being, while a supportive university environment did not demonstrate an independent effect under the statistical model used.Despite widespread smartphone and social media use, the psychological and social factors examined accounted for less than 1% of the variation in students' psychological well-being. Researchers said this suggests broader personal, family, academic and economic circumstances may play a more significant role.The study also found no clear correlation between psychological well-being and academic engagement, with some students maintaining high levels of academic involvement despite showing indicators of lower psychological well-being.Participants were aged between 18 and 29, with 60.5% between 18 and 24. They represented a broad range of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, science, nursing, dentistry, humanities and business.Researchers used established scientific measures, including the World Health Organization's Well-Being Index, the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Nomophobia Scale, which assesses fear or anxiety associated with being without a mobile phone. Data were collected in September and October 2025.The researchers cautioned that the findings should be interpreted in light of the study's methodology. It relied on a convenience rather than random sample and used a cross-sectional design, meaning the findings can identify associations between variables but cannot establish direct causal relationships.
