Exploring the Impact of Social Media Usage and Sports Participation on High School Students’ Mental Health and Academic Confidence

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of sports participation and social media use on high school students' mental health and self-perception, with a focus on understanding their unique contributions to happiness and academic confidence. Structural equation modeling was applied to analyze the relationships between sports participation, time spent on social media, and self-reported levels of happiness and confidence, while accounting for potential gender differences. The results indicate that sports participation is positively associated with happiness, but does not significantly affect academic confidence. In contrast, the use of social media is negatively associated with academic confidence, although it does not significantly impact happiness. Gender differences were observed, with female students reporting a lower level of happiness but a higher level of academic confidence. These findings suggest that while extracurricular activities, such as sports varsity involvement, can support students' well-being, the excessive use of social media apps may undermine their academic confidence.