The Relationship between Excessive Use of Short Videos by Middle School Students and Academic Engagement: The Mediating Roles of Learning Motivation and Self-Control

This study employed correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation effect tests to explore the relationships between excessive use of short videos, learning motivation, self-control, and academic engagement, as well as the mediating effects of learning motivation and self-control between excessive use of short videos and academic engagement. A survey was conducted among 1022 junior high school students in Beijing using the Excessive Use of Short Videos Scale, the Academic Engagement Scale, the Learning Motivation Scale, and the Self-Control Scale. The results revealed that (1) excessive use of short videos was significantly negatively correlated with learning motivation, self-control, and academic engagement, while learning motivation, self-control, and academic engagement were significantly positively correlated with each other. (2) Regression analysis indicated that excessive use of short videos had a significant negative predictive effect on academic engagement, while learning motivation and self-control had significant positive predictive effects on academic engagement. (3) Mediation effect tests showed that learning motivation and self-control both played mediating roles between excessive use of short videos and academic engagement, and learning motivation and self-control also played a sequential mediating role between excessive use of short videos and academic engagement. This study, by revealing the mediating mechanism of learning motivation orientation and self-control resource consumption, constructed a dynamic interaction model of "behavior - psychology - outcome". It contributes to enriching the relevant research in the field of media effects and expanding the explanatory dimensions of media effect research.