Journal of Academic Research for Humanities (JARH) is a double-blind, peer-reviewed, Open Free Access, online Multidisciplinary Research Journal
Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Vol. 5 No. 3 (2025)
The International "Journal of Academic Research for Humanities"

Research Articles

The Influence of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships: A Quality Perspective

Published 17-09-2025

  • Zakia Rafique
    • ,
  • Abida Masood
    • ,
  • Sadia Iqbal

Zakia Rafique
Department of Applied Psychology, The Govt Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

Abida Masood
Department of Applied Psychology, The Govt Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur, Pakistan

Sadia Iqbal
Senior Special Education Teacher, Govt. Shadab Training Institute for MCC, Bahawalpur, Pakistan.

Abstract

The widespread use of social networks has transformed the way students communicate, raising concerns about its impact on interpersonal relationships. This quantitative study aims to investigate the correlation between university students' social media usage and the quality of their interpersonal relationships, exploring how social network use affects relationship dynamics, communication patterns among students. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a structured questionnaire, including the Interpersonal Relationship Questionnaire to assess the quality of interpersonal relationships and a Social Media Use Questionnaire to measure social network usage trends, to collect data from 300 students.  Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, including Pearson's correlation coefficient, were used in the data analysis, which was carried out using SPSS, to fully investigate the connection between university students' use of social networks and their interpersonal connections. This study suggests that social media use may slightly enhance interpersonal relationships among university students. This shows that although social media use and interpersonal relationships have a statistically significant relationship, the practical significance of this relationship may be limited. According to the weak correlation, social media use can only explain a small portion of the variation in interpersonal relationships, and other factors, such as face-to-face interaction and shared activities, are likely to have a greater impact on the quality of interpersonal relationships among university students. The findings of this study can inform strategies to promote healthy social media use and strong interpersonal relationships among university students.

Keywords

Influence, , Social Media, , Interpersonal, , Relationships, , Quality

PDF

References

  1. Abdul-Aziz, Y., & Maigah, A. (2024). Influence of social media on social behaviour of youth in the Tamale Metropolis, Ghana. International Journal of Academic Research In Business & Social Sciences, 14(2), 624-639.
  2. Ameyaw, S. (2021). Impacts of social media Use on the Academic Performance of Students of Private Tertiary institutions in Ghana: The Valley View University Perspective. International Journal of Technology and Management Research (IJTMR), 6(2), 106-115. 1.
  3. Ahmed, N. (2022). Social Media and Youth Psychology: Emerging Trends in Pakistani Universities. Journal of Academic Research for Humanities, 2(2), 55–68.
  4. Ahmed, S., & Zhou, X. (2025). Social media fatigue and academic disengagement among university students. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 22(1), 15–30.
  5. Barry, C. T., Sidoti, C. L., Briggs, S. M., Reiter, S. R., & Lindsey, R. A. (2017). Adolescent social media use and mental health: A brief review. Adolescent Research Review, 2(4), 287–297.
  6. Chandrasena, P. P. C. M., & Ilankoon, I. M. P. S. (2022). The impact of social media on academic performance and interpersonal relations among health sciences undergraduates. Journal of education and health promotion, 11(1), 117.
  7. Chen, Y., Li, X., & Zhang, W. (2022). Social media use and loneliness among college students: A meta-analysis. Computers in Human Behaviour, 134, 107294.
  8. Ellison, N. B., Vitak, J., Gray, R., & Lampe, C. (2014). Cultivating social resources on social network sites: Facebook relationship maintenance behaviours and their role in social capital processes. Journal of computer-mediated communication, 19(4), 855-870. 2.
  9. Fatima, S. (2023). Technology and Interpersonal Communication among Young Adults: A Case Study of South Asia. JARH, 3(1), 77–89.
  10. Kircaburun, K., Alhabash, S., Tosuntaş, Ş. B., & Griffiths, M. D. (2020). Uses and gratifications of problematic social media use among university students: A simultaneous examination of the Big Five of personality traits, social media platforms, and social media use motives. International journal of mental health and addiction, 18(3), 525-547.
  11. Khan, R. (2024). Digital Media, Peer Relations, and University Students’ Mental Well-being. JARH, 4(1), 91–105.
  12. Lee, S., & Kim, J. (2023). Digital communication and interpersonal relationships in higher education: A cross-cultural study. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 40(5), 1258–1276.
  13. Mbegani, S. A., Mambo, H. L., & Mubofu, C. (2022). The use of social media for students’ academic life: Experience from Buhare Community Development Training Institute, Musoma, Tanzania.
  14. MAKABALI, E. (2023). The Impact of Social Media on Interpersonal Relationships Among Students in Higher Learning Institutions (Doctoral dissertation, IAA).
  15. Mashauri, D., & Kandengukila, P. (2025). The Applicability of Social Media Platforms for Academic Purposes: A Case of Selected Higher Learning Institutions in Tanzania. Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences, 23(2), 75-85.
  16. Nwaka-Nwandu, O. C., Patrick, O. U., Obainoke, E. F., & Ugege, J. E. (2024). The Impact of Social Media on the Academic Performance of the Students of Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria. International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, 8(4), 649-659.
  17. Ojo, O., Opeloye, B. A., & Olugbade, D. (2024). Social media versus students’ learning outcomes: Insights from a South-West Nigerian University. Journal of Educational Technology and Instruction, 3(1), 29-44.
  18. Owusu, D. K. (2024). The Impact of Social Media on the Lifestyle of University Students: A Study in Ghanaian Universities (Doctoral dissertation, Ashesi University).
  19. Olugbade, D. (2023). Examining the Impact of Social Media Use on University Students' Learning, Sleeping Habits, and Social Interactions: A Quantitative Analysis.
  20. Rahman, F., & Alvi, M. (2024). Gendered patterns of social media use and peer connectedness among South Asian students. Journal of Youth Studies, 27(3), 389–405.
  21. Shams, M., Shahid, R., & Raza, S. Y. (2022). Social media and university students: trends and effects studies. Pakistan journal of social research, 4(04), 763-772.
  22. Sharma, S., & Naik, A. R. (2020). Relationship of the Internet and Social Networking Sites with the Academic Achievement of School Students. UGC Care Journal, 40(74), 775-784.
  23. Tang, M. J., & Chan, E. T. (2021). The impact of online social networking (social media) on interpersonal communication and relationships. In Intelligent Computing: Proceedings of the 2021 Computing Conference, Volume 3 (pp. 624-640). Springer International Publishing.
  24. Tandoc Jr, E. C., Ferrucci, P., & Duffy, M. (2015). Facebook use, envy, and depression among college students: Is Facebook depressing? Computers in human behaviour, 43, 139-146.
  25. Van Tuan, V. (2021). The impact of social networking sites on study habits and interpersonal relationships among Vietnamese students. Journal of Language and Education, 7(1), 206-218. 5.
  26. Valkenburg, P. M., & Piotrowski, J. T. (2017). Plugged in: How media attract and affect youth. Yale University Press.
  27. Wario, R. D. (2022). Investigating Use and Impact of Social Media on Student Academic Performance: Case of a University in South Africa. In International Conferences on ICT, Society, and Human Beings.