Social media and academic performance in international business education: Paradoxical patterns from Thailand

<ns3:p>Background This study investigates the paradoxical relationship between social media usage and academic performance among international business students in Thailand, challenging conventional assumptions about digital distraction in higher education. While existing literature predominantly documents negative associations between social media use and academic outcomes, emerging evidence suggests more complex dynamics warrant investigation. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 158 international business students at a Thai university examined platform adoption rates, usage intensity, temporal patterns, and their associations with academic achievement measured by GPA. The study employed chi-square tests and comparative analysis to identify statistically significant differences across performance groups. Results Contrary to documented negative relationships, high-performing students (GPA 3.50-4.00) demonstrated significantly greater platform diversity than lower-achieving peers. High performers showed significantly higher adoption rates across multiple platforms: Facebook (89% vs. 67%, p<0.05), YouTube (87% vs. 68%, p<0.05), TikTok (83% vs. 50%, p<0.01), Telegram (71% vs. 46%, p<0.01), LinkedIn (44% vs. 20%, p<0.05), Pinterest (48% vs. 26%, p<0.05), and Viber (48% vs. 13%, p<0.01). Most paradoxically, 85% of high achievers engaged in late-night social media use (9 PM-12 AM) versus 64% of medium and 54% of low performers (p<0.01), despite research linking nighttime usage to sleep disruption and academic decline. Overall engagement was intensive across the sample, with 61.4% spending five or more hours daily on social media, accessed predominantly via smartphones (97%). Platform selection patterns revealed functional differentiation: high performers favored educational content platforms (YouTube), academic coordination tools (Telegram), and professional networking sites (LinkedIn), while low performers demonstrated limited platform diversity. Conclusions Engagement quality appears more consequential than quantity for academic success. These findings suggest that interventions should focus on cultivating digital literacy and strategic engagement skills rather than advocating blanket usage reduction, with important implications for international business education in Thailand and similar contexts.</ns3:p>