Examining the Trends of Graduate Theses Written on Social Media Addiction in Türkiye: Insights from 2020 to 2025

Year 2025, Issue: Advanced Online Publication, 398 - 418

Emre Şenol , Abdullah Mücahit Aslan

https://doi.org/10.54535/rep.1819075

Abstract

This study systematically examines 314 postgraduate theses on social media addiction published in Türkiye between 2020 and April 2025 in terms of various variables. Using a document analysis method, the theses obtained from the Council of Higher Education National Thesis Center (YÖKTEZ) database were analyzed, and the data were evaluated through descriptive analysis. Themes such as research method, design, sample group and size, variables, universities, and academic disciplines were examined. The findings indicate that most theses were conducted at the master’s level, employed quantitative methods, and primarily used a correlational survey design. The most frequently studied variables included screen time, psychological resilience, online game addiction, and dark triad personality traits. The results reveal a growing academic interest in social media addiction; however, qualitative and mixed-method studies remain limited, and the 2025 data are incomplete. The predominance of quantitative /correlational designs limits insight into the deeper, experiential aspects of social media addiction. Overall, this study provides a systematic overview of postgraduate research trends on social media addiction in Türkiye, highlighting methodological tendencies and research gaps in the field.

Keywords

Postgraduate theses , Postgraduate thesis trends , Social media addiction

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