The effect of social media addiction on communication skills: A meta-analysis study

Abstract

The growing prevalence of digital tools in our daily lives exposes us to various forms of addiction. The rise in social media usage places social media addiction at the forefront of concerns. Numerous studies exist on the impact of this addiction on individuals' lives. The impact of social media on individuals' communication skills is an important research area due to its effective use in the communication process. Studies investigating the impact of social media addiction on communication skills have found different results. This study aims to evaluate the overall impact of social media addiction on communication skills. In this direction, a meta-analysis was conducted on 16 studies dealing with the relationship between social media addiction and communication skills. CMA software was used in all analyses. The results show that social media addiction has a moderate negative effect on communication skills. The average effect was tested in the context of moderator variables. Accordingly, the average effect does not show a significant difference according to disciplines, while it shows a significant difference according to countries. The study suggests an explanation for developing further research and protecting communication skills from the negative effects of social media.