Research Article

University students’ digital literacy skills, attitudes to social media use, and social media addictions

Marina R. Zheltukhina 1 * , Olga V. Sergeeva 2 , Vagiz G. Gimaliev 3 , Dmitry V. Astakhov 4 , Ekaterina G. Sokolova 5 , Natalya V. Chernikova 4
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1 Scientific and Educational Center “Person in Communication”, Pyatigorsk State University, Pyatigorsk, RUSSIA2 Department of English Philology, Kuban State University, Krasnodar, RUSSIA3 Chuvash State University, Cheboksary, RUSSIA4 Department of Biochemistry, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, RUSSIA5 Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University), Moscow, RUSSIA* Corresponding Author
Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(3), July 2026, ep675, https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/18362
Published: 27 July 2026
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ABSTRACT

This study aims to examine the relationship between university students’ digital literacy skills, their levels of social media addiction, and their attitudes toward social media use. A quantitative research method was employed, utilizing a correlational survey design. The sample included a total of 412 students from three different universities who responded to online forms. Data were collected using three standardized measurement tools in addition to a participant information form: the Bergen social media addiction scale, the social media attitude scale, and the digital literacy scale. The data were analyzed using SPSS and the adapted PROCESS macro version 4.2. Independent samples t-test, analysis of variance, Pearson correlation analysis, and moderation analysis were conducted. The findings reveal that students’ positive attitudes toward social media may increase their levels of social media addiction, whereas higher levels of digital literacy appear to reduce addiction. Furthermore, it was determined that social media attitude positively affects digital literacy, and digital literacy has a suppressive effect on social media addiction. Analyses based on gender, academic year, and field of study indicate that male students exhibit higher levels of digital literacy and more positive attitudes toward social media; engineering students demonstrate greater competence in digital skills; and digital literacy improves significantly as academic level increases. In this regard, it is recommended that university administrations implement educational programs aimed at enhancing digital literacy and develop supportive interventions, particularly for first-year and social sciences students. Promoting content that encourages students to use social media in a more conscious, productive, and critical manner may be beneficial for both reducing addiction and increasing digital competence. Additionally, future research should support quantitative findings with qualitative data, replicate studies across different cultural contexts, and incorporate current variables related to the use of technological tools into the model.
Keywords: digital literacy, social media addiction, student attitudes, technology use, digital behavior

CITATION (APA)

Zheltukhina, M. R., Sergeeva, O. V., Gimaliev, V. G., Astakhov, D. V., Sokolova, E. G., & Chernikova, N. V. (2026). University students’ digital literacy skills, attitudes to social media use, and social media addictions. Contemporary Educational Technology, 18(3), ep675. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/18362

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