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Mediation

Cell Phone Multitasking Linked to Poor Academic Performance and Psychological Well-being

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study of 627 undergraduate students from a large public university in Uttar Pradesh, India, has found a significant link between cell phone multitasking (CPM) and poor academic performance, as measured by Grade Point Average (GPA), and psychological well-being (PWB). The study, conducted by researchers at GLA University, suggests that CPM may have a negative impact on academic performance, while a weak correlation was found between CPM and PWB.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found a negative correlation between CPM and GPA, indicating that students who engage in CPM may experience lower academic performance.
  • A marginal positive correlation was found between GPA and PWB, suggesting that higher academic performance is associated with better psychological well-being.
  • The study used a validated self-report quantitative questionnaire to assess CPM, GPA, and PWB, and found a weak correlation between CPM and PWB.
  • The mediation effect of GPA on the association between CPM and PWB was significant, with an effect of -0.0421 and a standard error of 0.0154, indicating that GPA plays a crucial role in shaping the relationship between CPM and PWB.
  • Suresh C. Joshi, the lead researcher from GLA University, noted that the study provides insights into the complex interplay between technology use, education, and mental health.
  • The study contributes to a growing body of research on the impact of technology use on mental health and academic performance.

Statistics:

  • 627 undergraduate students participated in the study, with 74% being female.
  • The study used a Spearman rank-order coefficient to compute the correlation between CPM and GPA, and found a negative correlation of -0.03.
  • A hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between CPM and GPA, and found a marginalized effect of -0.0421.
  • A one-way ANOVA was used to examine the difference between groups, and found a partial eta squared of 0.12.
  • The PROCESS macro was used to perform mediation analyses, and found a significant mediation effect of GPA on the association between CPM and PWB.

Sources:

  • Joshi, S. C. (2025). From Distraction To Depression? the Mediating Role of Academic Performance In Cell Phone Multitasking and Psychological Well-being. Current Psychology, 2025, 1-10.
  • GLA University. (2025). [No date specified]. Retrieved from
  • Current Psychology. (2025). Springer. Retrieved from

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