Free Time Management and Social Media Disorder Among University Students

Leisure time management is important for individuals to use their time efficiently. Individuals who fail to manage their leisure time effectively may develop problematic social media use. This study aimed to determine the relationship between problematic social media use and leisure time management among university students. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted with 850 students studying in nursing, health services, health sciences, pharmacy, medicine, dentistry, and physical therapy and rehabilitation programs at a public university in Türkiye during the 2021–2022 academic year. Of the participants, 79.4% were female (n = 675) and 20.6% were male (n = 175). Data were collected through an online survey using a Descriptive Information Form, the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS), and the Leisure Time Management Scale (LTMS). The mean SMDS score of the students was 15.39 ± 11.03, while the mean total LTMS score was 52.54 ± 7.79. A statistically significant, moderate negative correlation was found between the mean SMDS scores and the total LTMS scores (r = −0.33, p = 0.001). These findings highlight the importance of leisure time management in reducing problematic social media use. In this context, universities should provide various programs and opportunities to help students improve their leisure time management skills.