Problematic Facebook Use, Aggression, and Academic Procrastination Among Medical Students

Background: Problematic use of social media has become a growing concern among young adults, with strong evidence linking it to aggression and academic procrastination. Excessive Facebook use, in particular, disrupts emotional regulation and impairs academic functioning. Despite substantial international research, limited evidence exists from Pakistan exploring how problematic Facebook use contributes to procrastination through aggression, especially among medical students whose academic demands are exceptionally rigorous. Addressing this gap is essential to better understand the psychological mechanisms underlying academic underperformance in this population. Objective: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between problematic Facebook use and academic procrastination, while testing the mediating role of aggression among Pakistani medical students aged 18 to 35 years. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational design was adopted, and purposive sampling recruited 200 medical students. The Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS; α = 0.80) measured problematic Facebook use, the Academic Procrastination Scale–Short Form (APS-SF; α = 0.87) assessed procrastination, and the Buss and Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ; α = 0.89) measured aggression. Ethical approval was secured in line with APA guidelines, and written informed consent was obtained. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, and Hayes’ PROCESS Macro 4.2 (Model 4) was applied for mediation analysis. Results: The mean age of participants was 24.50 years (SD = 3.02). Men accounted for 55.5% and women for 44.5% of the sample, with 55.5% from middle socioeconomic status. Problematic Facebook use was strongly correlated with aggression (r = 0.71, p < .05) and academic procrastination (r = 0.90, p < .05). Aggression also correlated with procrastination (r = 0.34, p < .01). Regression showed problematic Facebook use significantly predicted aggression (β = 1.06, p < .001) and procrastination (β = 0.88, p < .001). Aggression independently predicted procrastination (β = 0.07, p < .001). Mediation analysis revealed aggression partially mediated the relationship, with a significant indirect effect (Effect = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.009–0.06). Conclusion: Problematic Facebook use significantly impairs academic performance among medical students, both directly through procrastination and indirectly via heightened aggression. These findings underscore the urgent need for awareness campaigns, digital literacy initiatives, and counseling interventions to foster healthier online engagement and reduce aggression-driven academic delays.