The mediating role of TikTok addiction in the relationship between depression, anxiety, academic stress, and academic performance among university students

Abstract Existing literature suggests that problematic engagement with short-video platforms is associated with adverse psychological and educational outcomes, including heightened anxiety, depressive symptoms, and lower academic involvement. As TikTok continues to expand rapidly across African contexts, concerns regarding its potentially addictive use among university students have increased. However, empirical evidence from developing digital environments such as Somalia remains limited, and the behavioral pathways linking psychological distress to academic functioning are still underexplored. Guided by the Integrative Pathways Model, this study examined the associations of depression, anxiety, and academic stress with academic performance, while exploring the potential role of TikTok addiction as a behavioral pathway linking these variables. A quantitative cross-sectional design was employed using data collected from 384 university students in Mogadishu. Participants completed standardized self-report questionnaires, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to assess measurement and structural models. All constructs demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties (Cronbach’s α = 0.83–0.89; CR = 0.83–0.90; AVE = 0.685–0.757). The structural model explained 31% of the variance in TikTok addiction and 49% of the variance in academic performance. The results indicated that academic stress and anxiety were positively and significantly associated with TikTok addiction, with academic stress emerging as the strongest predictor. In contrast, depression was not significantly associated with TikTok addiction. Furthermore, TikTok addiction demonstrated a strong and statistically significant association with academic performance, reflecting the operationalization of the academic performance construct used in this study. Overall, the findings suggest that TikTok addiction may represent an important behavioral pathway linking academic stress and anxiety to students’ academic functioning. These results are broadly consistent with prior international research and highlight the importance of context-sensitive, university-level initiatives that support students’ mental well-being and stress management while promoting healthier digital engagement patterns.