TIKTOK USE INTENSITY AND LEARNING BEHAVIOR AMONG JUNIOR SECONDARY STUDENTS: A CORRELATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Short-video social media has become embedded in adolescents' daily routines, raising questions about whether intensive use is compatible with productive learning behavior. This quantitative cross-sectional correlational study examined the association between TikTok use intensity and learning behavior among 128 Grade VIII students at SMP Negeri 4 Comal, selected from a population of 244 students through a probability-based random approach. Data were collected using paper-based four-point Likert questionnaires that were piloted before the main study and analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression in IBM SPSS Statistics 27. The reported model indicated a positive and statistically significant association, F(1, 126) = 26.610, p < .001, R = .418, and R2 = .174, showing that TikTok use intensity accounted for 17.4% of the variance in learning behavior. Because the design was observational and cross-sectional, the finding should be interpreted as an association rather than a causal effect. The results suggest that high TikTok use is not necessarily incompatible with favorable learning behavior, but they also underscore the importance of self-regulation, purposeful media use, digital literacy, and balanced time management. The context-specific design and self-report measures limit generalization beyond the study setting.