Exploring the long-term relationship between academic-media multitasking and adolescents’ academic achievement

Abstract

Adolescents commonly use media and communication devices during academic activities, also referred to as academic-media multitasking. Although there is evidence for the short-term effect of academic-media multitasking on academic achievement, support for its long-term effect is lacking. Therefore, we investigated the long-term relationship between academic-media multitasking and academic achievement, and the possible underlying mechanism of academic attention problems using a three-wave longitudinal study, with time intervals of 3–4 months, among 1215 adolescents (11–15 years, 52% boys). Although academic-media multitasking and academic achievement were cross-sectionally related, the findings showed neither support for a direct nor indirect long-term relationship between academic-media multitasking and subsequent academic achievement scores. However, academic-media multitasking was associated with an increase in subsequent academic attention problems. This study indicates that concerns regarding the long-term impact of academic-media multitasking on academic achievement need to be qualified.