Does TikTok Really Matter for Academic Achievement? Self-Regulation and Use Duration Among University Students

Abstract

The increasing use of TikTok among university students has raised questions about its relationship with academic achievement. Previous studies have reported mixed findings. This study examined the association between self-regulated learning (SRL)-based TikTok use regulation and semester grade point average (GPA) in the full sample and two daily-use duration groups. It extends previous research by examining how students plan, control, and evaluate TikTok use beyond duration or problematic use alone. Separate subgroup analyses explored the association within each duration group. A quantitative, cross-sectional survey involved 197 university students. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and robustness checks. The full-sample association was near zero and nonsignificant (r = −0.038, p = 0.600). Associations were also nonsignificant in the groups reporting more than two hours and two hours or less of daily use. Spearman correlations were nonsignificant, and HC3 and bootstrap analyses provided no evidence of significant linear coefficients, although diagnostic concerns limit interpretation. The measured regulation score alone provided little information about differences in semester GPA in this sample. Broader academic behaviors warrant further investigation to clarify the practical relevance of digital self-regulation. These findings do not establish that TikTok use is academically harmless or that associations are statistically equivalent across duration groups