JEPE Cover Page

Journal of Educational Policies and Excellence

eISSN : 3107-7870 | Frequency: Half-yearly

Editor in Chief : Dr. Mohd. Faijullah Khan

About : Journal of Educational Policies and Excellence is a bi-annual, peer-reviewed, national, e-journal dedicated to advancing critical discourse and research in educational policy, practice, and accreditation. Aligned with the progressive framework of India’s National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), th Read more

Article Metrics
Views : 145 | Downloads: 338
Crossref Citations: Loading...

View in Google Scholar
Dimensions
Altmetric Attention
PlumX:

Perception of Mindfulness and Self-Awareness Practices in Mitigating Negative Effects of Social Media Usage on Academic Performance of Management Students

  • Bhavya Saini Bhavya Saini Scholar TERI School of Advanced Studies, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110 070, India ,  
  • Anand Jaiswal* Anand Jaiswal Corresponding author Professor TERI School of Advanced Studies, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi – 110 070 India Anand Jaiswal ORCID Id
Received: March 19, 2025
Accepted: April 30, 2025
Published: June 04, 2025
Volume: 1 (1) | Page: 1-16

Abstract

This study explores the perception of mindfulness and self-awareness practices in mitigating the negative academic effects of social media usage among Indian management students. Based on in-depth interviews with ten participants, the research employs a qualitative design with thematic analysis to capture nuanced behavioural patterns and internal cognitive strategies. Findings reveal three primary user groups: low social media users with strong self-regulation, moderate users with conscious boundaries, and excessive users struggling with distraction. Themes such as self-awareness, emotional regulation, digital moderation, and mindfulness-based efforts emerged as pivotal in managing academic focus. Participants practising even intermittent mindfulness reported temporary improvements in concentration and stress relief, though only those with high self-awareness consistently maintained academic performance. Offline anchors such as sports and peer interactions also contributed to reduced screen dependency. The study concludes that intrinsic self-regulation and reflective awareness—not complete digital abstinence—are the key to preserving academic engagement in a connected environment. These insights provide evidence to guide future wellness programs and curriculum designs that integrate lifestyle-appropriate mindfulness practices for student populations.

Keywords: mindfulness, self-awareness, social media usage, academic performance, management students, digital well-being.

References

  1. Abdulahi, A., Samadi, B., & Gharleghi, B. (2014). A study on the negative effects of social networking sites such as Facebook among Asia Pacific University scholars in Malaysia. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 5(10), 133–138.
  2. Andreassen, C. S., Torsheim, T., Brunborg, G. S., & Pallesen, S. (2012). Development of a Facebook Addiction Scale. Psychological Reports, 110(2), 501–517. https://doi.org/10.2466/02.09.18.PR0.110.2.501-517
  3. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  4. Boekaerts, M., Pintrich, P. R., & Zeidner, M. (Eds.). (2005). Handbook of self-regulation. Academic Press.
  5. Chiang, E. P., & Sumell, A. J. (2019). Are your students absent, not absent, or present? Mindfulness and student performance. The Journal of Economic Education, 50(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220485.2018.1551096
  6. Ding, Q., Wang, Z., & Zhang, Y. X. (2020). Revision of the Chinese Version of parents phubbing scale in adolescents. Chinese Journal of Clinical Psychology, 28, 942-945. (In Chinese)
  7. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam Books.
  8. Junco, R. (2012). The relationship between frequency of Facebook use, participation in Facebook activities, and student engagement. Computers & Education, 58(1), 162–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2011.08.004
  9. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2005). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your body and mind to face stress, pain, and illness (15th anniversary ed.). Delta Trade Paperback/Bantam Dell.
  10. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2006). Mindfulness-based interventions in context: Past, present, and future. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 144–156. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg016
  11. Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Social networking sites and addiction: Ten lessons learned. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 14(3), 311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph14030311
  12. Katz, E., Blumler, J. G., & Gurevitch, M. (1973). Uses and gratifications research. Public Opinion Quarterly, 37(4), 509–523. https://doi.org/10.1086/268109
  13. Lau, W. W. F. (2017). Effects of social media usage and social media multitasking on the academic performance of university students. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 286–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.043
  14. Levenson, J. C., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., & Primack, B. A. (2016). The association between social media use and sleep disturbance among young adults. Preventive Medicine, 85, 36–41. 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.01.001
  15. Luo, J., Cao, J., Yeung, P. S., et al. (2024). Mindfulness and growth mindset as protective factors for the impact of media multitasking on academic performance: The mediating role of self-control. Educational Information Technology, 29, 22841–22858. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12846-4
  16. Mehmood, H., & Siu, O.-l. (2021). Reducing disruptions caused by social networking sites through mindfulness: A case in point. In S. K. Dhiman (Ed.), The Routledge companion to mindfulness at work (pp. 374–385). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
  17. Pantic, I. (2014). Online social networking and mental health. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 17(10), 652–657. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2014.0070
  18. Pariser, E. (2011). The filter bubble: What the internet is hiding from you. Penguin UK.
  19. Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Whaite, E. O., Lin, L. Y., Rosen, D., ... & Miller, E. (2017). Social media use and perceived social isolation among young adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2017.01.010
  20. Rosen, L. D., Whaling, K., Carrier, L. M., Cheever, N. A., & Rokkum, J. (2013). The media and technology usage and attitudes scale: An empirical investigation. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(6), 2501–2511. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.06.006
  21. Rostaminezhad, M. A. (2019). Students’ perceptions of the strengths and limitations of electronic tests focusing on instant feedback. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 18, 059–071. https://doi.org/10.28945/4175
  22. Rostaminezhad, M. A., Porshafei, H., & Ahamdi, A. A. (2019). Can effective study approaches mediate the negative effect of social networking on academic performance? Educational Information Technology, 24(2), 205–217. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-017-9634-5
  23. Rithika, M., & Selvaraj, S. (2013). Impact of social media on students’ academic performance. International Journal of Logistics & Supply Chain Management Perspectives, 2(4), 636–640.
  24. Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/0364-0213(88)90023-7
  25. Selvaraj, S. (2013). Impact of social media on student’s academic performance. International Journal of Logistics & Supply Chain Management Perspectives, 2(4), 636–640.
  26. Tang, Y.-Y., Ma, Y., Wang, J., Fan, Y., Feng, S., Lu, Q., Yu, Q., Sui, D., Rothbart, M. K., Fan, M., & Posner, M. I. (2007). Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104(43), 17152–17156. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0707678104
  27. Weaver, J. L., & Swank, J. M. (2023). A mindfulness-based intervention for adolescent social media users: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, 10(1), 3–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/23727810.2022.2036001
  28. Zewude, G. T., Bezie, A. E., Woreta, G. T., Getaneh, T., Oo, T. Z., Hassen, A., Tareke, M., Orsovics, Y., & Jozsa, K. (2025). A parallel mediation model of career adaptability, career self-efficacy, and future career choice among university students: The role of basic psychological needs satisfaction and mindfulness. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15(4), 47. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15040047.
  29. Zimmerman, B. J. (2000). Attaining self-regulation: A social cognitive perspective. In M. Boekaerts, P. R. Pintrich, & M. Zeidner (Eds.), Handbook of self-regulation (pp. 13–39). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-012109890-2/50031-7
  30. Zeidan, F., Johnson, S. K., Diamond, B. J., David, Z., & Goolkasian, P. (2010). Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: Evidence of brief mental training. Consciousness and Cognition, 19(2), 597–605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.concog.2010.03.014
  31. Zenner, C., Herrnleben-Kurz, S., & Walach, H. (2014). Mindfulness-based interventions in schools: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 603. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00603
Recently Cited By
Loading citations...
Citation copied to clipboard
×
Cite this Article