Media multitasking has become increasingly prevalent among nursing students during online learning. However, the mechanisms underlying its impact on learning engagement remain unclear. This study examined the relationship between media multitasking and online learning engagement among nursing students, with a focus on the mediating role of academic self-efficacy and the moderating role of attention control. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 780 undergraduate nursing students recruited through stratified cluster sampling from two medical universities in China. Data were collected using validated self-report questionnaires assessing media multitasking, academic self-efficacy, attention control, and online learning engagement. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed using SPSS 26.0. Media multitasking was negatively associated with online learning engagement. Academic self-efficacy partially mediated this relationship, with a significant indirect effect. Attention control moderated both the relationship between media multitasking and academic self-efficacy, and the relationship between media multitasking and learning engagement, such that stronger attention control attenuated the negative effects of media multitasking. Media multitasking impairs nursing students’ online learning engagement partly by reducing their academic self-efficacy. Stronger attention-control abilities mitigate these detrimental effects. Interventions aimed at enhancing academic self-efficacy and strengthening attention regulation may help promote learning engagement in online environments. Not applicable.
Shida et al. (Tue,) studied this question.