The Impact of Social Media in Afghanistan: A Multi-Disciplinary Study

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Video abstract

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Table 1 Social Media and Sex

Sex	Frequency	Percentage
Male	1042	67%
Female	513	33%
Total	1556	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=234.22,p<0.001\chi^2 = 234.22, p < 0.001χ2=234.22,p<0.001.

Table 2 Social Media and Age

Age	Percentage	Frequency
10–15	0.8%	12
15–20	10.3%	160
20–25	41.2%	641
25–30	25.9%	403
30–35	21.8%	340
Total	100%	1556

Notes: ANOVA: F=12.34,p<0.001F = 12.34, p < 0.001F=12.34,p<0.001.

Table 3 Social Media and Education Level

Education Level	Frequency	Percentage
Primary Education (School)	218	14.16%
Bachelor	1030	66.9%
Master	292	18.9%
Total	1540	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=451.16,p<0.001\chi^2 = 451.16, p < 0.001χ2=451.16,p<0.001.

Table 4 Social Media Platforms

Social Media Platforms	Frequency	Percentage
Facebook	1288	83.6%
Instagram	1074	69.7%
TikTok	531	34.5%
Twitter	454	29.5%
YouTube	1139	74%
PubG	116	7.5%
Movies	277	18%
Email	1068	69.3%
TV-Programs	233	4.5%
Total	1541	100%

Notes: Multiple Response Analysis: Frequencies and percentages of each platform usage were analyzed.

Table 5 Social Media Purpose

Purpose of Social Media Usage	Frequency	Percentage
Getting money from social media	91	6%
Willing to be more active to impress others	257	16.9%
Just following and watching others and not engaging directly	765	49.8%
Sometimes I will be active	690	45.5%
Total	1516	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=315.44,p<0.001\chi^2 = 315.44, p < 0.001χ2=315.44,p<0.001.

Table 6 Social Media Addiction

Addiction to Social Media	Frequency	Percentage
Facebook	659	56%
Instagram	423	35.9%
TikTok	199	19.9%
YouTube	293	24.9%
Email	152	12.9%
Online Games (PubG)	44	3.7%
Hollywood & Bollywood movies	46	3.9%
TV-programs	39	3.3%
Total	1177	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=423.78, p<0.001\chi^2 = 423.78, p < 0.001χ2=423.78,p<0.001.

Table 7 Social Media Time Spending

Time spent on social media during 24 hours	Frequency	Percentage
Less than 1 hour	362	23.4%
1–3 hr.	741	47.9%
3–5 hr.	291	18.8%
5–8 hr.	116	7.5%
More than 8 hours	35	2.3%
Total	1545	100%

Notes: ANOVA: F=15.64, p<0.001F = 15.64, p < 0.001F=15.64,p<0.001.

Table 8 Social Media Usage During Daytime

More usage of social media during the 24 hours	Frequency	Percentage
Morning	99	6.4%
During the day	442	28.7%
During the night	458	29.7%
Based on my free time	843	54.7%
Total	1541	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=287.64, p<0.001\chi^2 = 287.64, p < 0.001χ2=287.64, p<0.001.

Table 9 Social Media and Money Spent

Money spent on social media	Frequency	Percentage
Less than 500 AFG	621	40.9%
500–1000 AFG	624	41.1%
1000–3000 AFG	205	13.5%
3000–5000 AFG	46	3%
More than 5000 AFG	28	1.86%
Total	1515	100%

Notes: ANOVA: F=10.23, p<0.001F = 10.23, p < 0.001F=10.23,p<0.001.

Table 10 Social Media and Depression Level

Depression and Stress Level	Frequency	Percentage
Very low	735	48.5%
Medium	580	38.3%
High	136	9%
Very High	65	4.2%
Total	1516	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=411.52, p<0.001\chi^2 = 411.52, p < 0.001χ2=411.52,p<0.001.

Table 11 Social Media and Depression Causes

Depression and Stress Causes	Frequency	Percentage
Unknown Future	834	56.3%
Personal Problems	462	31.1%
Chronic Disease	64	4.3%
Friends’ Achievements	43	2.9%
Being Lazy	298	20.1%
Other Reasons	323	21.8%
Total	1482	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=337.66, p<0.001\chi^2 = 337.66, p < 0.001χ2=337.66,p<0.001.

Table 12 Social Media and Feelings

Feeling Nervous, Anxious or on Edge	Frequency	Percentage
Not at all	329	21.5%
Several days	931	60.9%
More than half the days	142	9.3%
Almost every day	126	8.3%
Total	1528	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=591.87, p<0.001\chi^2 = 591.87, p < 0.001χ2=591.87,p<0.001.

Table 13 Social Media and Worry

Not being able to stop or control worry	Frequency	Percentage
Not at all	107	7%
Several days	644	42.2%
N/A	213	14%
Almost every day	563	36.9%
Total	1527	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=312.14,p<0.001\chi^2 = 312.14, p < 0.001χ2=312.14,p<0.001.

Table 14 Social Media and Time Spent with Family

Time spent with family members during the day	Frequency	Percentage
1–3 hr.	370	24.1%
3–5 hr.	303	19.8%
I do not know.	588	38.3%
Sometimes	175	11.4%
N/A	100	6.4%
Total	1536	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=492.65,p<0.001\chi^2 = 492.65, p < 0.001χ2=492.65,p<0.001.

Table 15 Social Media and Entertainment

Time spent with friends for entertainment	Frequency	Percentage
Every month we have a gathering	530	34.6%
Sometimes if we find free time	492	32.1%
During special events like Eid Nowroz	187	12.2%
I follow everyone through social media	178	11.6%
N/A	145	9.5%
Total	1532	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=245.78,p<0.001\chi^2 = 245.78, p < 0.001χ2=245.78,p<0.001.

Table 16 Social Media and Relationships

Interruption of relationships with friends through social media	Frequency	Percentage
Yes	431	28.1%
No	1102	71.9%
Total	1533	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=245.12,p<0.001\chi^2 = 245.12, p < 0.001χ2=245.12,p<0.001.

Table 17 Causes of Relationship Interruption Through Social Media

Causes of Relationship Interruption	Frequency	Percentage
Political issues	270	18.8%
Religious issues	112	7.5%
Personal issues	240	16.7%
Friends’ Achievements	83	5.8%
N/A	881	61.4%
Total	1435	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=453.24,p<0.001\chi^2 = 453.24, p < 0.001χ2=453.24,p<0.001.

Table 18 Expectations Without Social Media Access

Expectations Without Social Media Access	Frequency	Percentage
I will be successful in my life	291	19.5%
I will have a peaceful and safe life	189	12.6%
Sexual issues on social media decrease concentration	42	2.8%
I will have more income but waste time	103	6.9%
N/A	869	58.2%
Total	1494	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=513.67, p<0.001\chi^2 = 513.67, p < 0.001χ2=513.67, p<0.001.

Table 19 Topics and Issues Encountered on Social Media

Topics and Issues	Frequency	Percentage
Political issues	612	39.8%
Sexual issues	135	8.8%
Religious issues	474	30.8%
Comedic issues	704	45.8%
Educational issues	1098	71.5%
Total	1536	100%

Notes: Multiple Response Analysis: Frequencies and percentages of each topic encountered were analyzed.

Table 20 Issues Disliked on Social Media

Issues Disliked on Social Media	Frequency	Percentage
Political issues	1100	72.5%
Sexual issues	594	39.1%
Religious issues	285	18.8%
Comedic issues	65	4.3%
N/A	257	16.9%
Total	1518	100%

Notes: Multiple Response Analysis: Frequencies and percentages of issues disliked were analyzed.

Table 21 Social Media’s Influence on Sensitivity to Issues

Influence on Social Media’s Senses and Issues	Frequency	Percentage
Decrease sensitivity to issues	282	19%
Take the same actions without consideration	148	10%
Watch different issues but never take action	1044	70.3%
Total	1484	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=315.87, p<0.001\chi^2 = 315.87, p < 0.001χ2=315.87,p<0.001.

Table 22 Studying Habits

Studying Habits	Frequency	Percentage
Study daily using newspapers, books, articles, etc.	500	32.7%
Occasionally study	397	26%
Find newspapers, books, and magazines boring	165	10.8%
Like to study but feel no time due to social media engagement	393	25.7%
N/A	75	4.8%
Total	1530	100%

Notes: Chi-Square Test: χ2=513.14,p<0.001\chi^2 = 513.14, p < 0.001χ2=513.14,p<0.001.

Table 23 Summary of Statistical Tests for Social Media Impact Study

Table	Variable	Statistical Test	Test Statistic	p-value	Significance
1.7	Time spent on social media	ANOVA	F = 15.64	< 0.001	Significant
1.5	Purpose of social media usage	Chi-Square	χ² = 315.44	< 0.001	Significant
1.9	Money spent on social media	ANOVA	F = 10.23	< 0.001	Significant
1.10, 1.12, 1.13	Feelings of nervousness, anxiety, or edginess	Chi-Square	χ² = 591.87	< 0.001	Significant
1.10, 1.11	Control of worry and depression levels	Chi-Square	χ² = 312.14, χ² = 411.52	< 0.001, < 0.001	Significant
1.14	Time spent with family members	Chi-Square	χ² = 492.65	< 0.001	Significant
1.15	Time spent with friends for entertainment	Chi-Square	χ² = 245.78	< 0.001	Significant

Data Sharing Statement

The data collected for this study is securely stored with the research committee of the Ghalib University. Access to the data is available upon request, subject to approval by the research committee and principal author this study (Dr. Hedayatullah Ehsan). Interested parties may obtain access by submitting a polite request to the designated contact person. We are committed to facilitating access to the data while ensuring compliance with ethical and privacy considerations.