Path Analysis of the Effect of mobile phone usage on academic engagement: the Mediating Role of attention

This study was carried out to provide a structural model for illustrating the structural relationships between the amount of mobile phone usage and academic engagement with mediating role of attention in students at the University of Birjand. The statistical population of this study included all students studying at Birjand University in the academic year 2015-2016. Sample included 200 students from Birjand University who were selected using cluster sampling. The instruments used in this study were Jafarzadeh mobile phone addiction questionnaire (2012), Schofield et al engagement questionnaire (1996) and Wechsler inverse number test. Data was tested by path analysis. The findings showed that the amount of mobile phone usage, influences student's attention. In other words, the amount of student's academic attention and engagement decreases with increasing use of mobile phones. These findings show the need for serious attention from the authorities on the negative consequences of students’ mobile phone usage. It showed that the use of mobile phones to be a good predictor of student academic engagement.