The Relationship Between TikTok Usage Intensity and Students Learning Productivity and Academic Achievement

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between the intensity of TikTok usage and the academic productivity and achievement of university students. As short-form video platforms increasingly dominate students' daily routines, concerns have emerged regarding their potential influence on study habits, concentration, and task completion. A quantitative survey design was employed, involving 60 undergraduate students who completed a structured questionnaire measuring daily TikTok usage duration and nine indicators of academic productivity using a five-point Likert scale. Data were analysed descriptively and through Spearman’s rank-order correlation to examine the association between usage intensity and perceived academic  impact. The results show that the majority of respondents (74 percent) used TikTok between one and four hours per day, and most agreed that TikTok use contributed to task procrastination and reduced concentration while studying. However, students also reported a relatively strong ability to manage their time and complete assignments punctually. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, the correlation analysis revealed no statistically significant relationship between usage duration and either perceived negative impact or self-regulation ability. These findings suggest that academic productivity is more strongly influenced by usage patterns and self-regulation skills than by the sheer duration of TikTok use. The study is limited by its small and gender-imbalanced sample, warranting further research with larger and more diverse student populations.