Student mental health and academic motivation in the age of digital connectivity: A self-determination theory perspective
Mobile and Internet connectivity have become ubiquitous, significantly influencing various aspects of students’ lives, including their educational experiences. Despite this pervasive influence, there remains a dearth of research examining the positive implications of mobile connectivity on student m...
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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Social Sciences and Humanities Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125006552 |
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| Summary: | Mobile and Internet connectivity have become ubiquitous, significantly influencing various aspects of students’ lives, including their educational experiences. Despite this pervasive influence, there remains a dearth of research examining the positive implications of mobile connectivity on student mental health and academic motivation, particularly within the engineering discipline. This study explores engineering students’ experiences of digital connectivity, aiming to identify its beneficial effects on their mental health and academic motivation. Drawing upon Self-Determination Theory (SDT) as a theoretical framework, the study investigates the interplay between digital connectivity, mental health, and academic motivation. A cross-sectional survey method was employed to collect data. The findings reveal that mental health fully mediates the relationships between autonomy and relatedness and academic motivation, while competence exhibits both a significant direct effect on academic motivation and a partially mediated effect through mental health. Furthermore, incorporating sleep satisfaction as a moderator enhances the explanatory power of the proposed model, particularly in clarifying the relationship between competence and academic motivation. Recognising the mediating role of mental health and the centrality of competence can inform interventions to foster a supportive digital learning environment. Additionally, the identification of sleep satisfaction as a moderator underscores the importance of addressing sleep-related factors to optimise students' academic engagement and success. |
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| ISSN: | 2590-2911 |