An Investigation of the Relationship between Academic Self-Efficacy, Achievement Motivation, and Smartphone Addiction

Abstract

The primary objective of this study was to examine the relationships among academic self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and smartphone addiction in middle school students in Turkey. The research employed a quantitative survey model. The study's population consisted of students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades of middle school. The sample was comprised of 310 middle school students (166 female, 144 male) from a province in the Mediterranean region. Data were collected using the "Academic Self-Efficacy Scale for Children," the "Achievement Motivation Scale," and the "Smartphone Addiction Scale." The data analysis utilized the t Test, F Test, and Pearson Correlation Test. The findings indicate that students, despite having high self-efficacy perceptions, demonstrated a moderate level of achievement motivation and a high-moderate level of smartphone addiction. Female students scored higher than male students in both academic self-efficacy and motivation, while no significant gender difference was found in smartphone addiction. A strong positive correlation was observed between self-efficacy and achievement motivation, while both variables showed a negative correlation with smartphone addiction. In this context, it is recommended that teachers integrate digital hygiene strategies into their lesson plans, school counseling services organize programs to develop self-regulation skills, and families set limits on technology use in their children's learning environments. Future research should include students from different socioeconomic backgrounds, delve deeper into contextual variables, and utilize longitudinal designs for a more comprehensive understanding.