Internet engagement profiles, cyberloafing, and academic achievement among high school students

This study examines the relationships among high school students’ academic achievement, cyberloafing, problematic internet use, and Internet Engagement Profiles. It further investigates whether these variables differ according to gender, parental education levels, daily study time, and smartphone checking frequency. A cross-sectional correlational research design was employed. The study sample consisted of 598 high school students attending public and private secondary schools, selected through maximum variation sampling. Data were collected using a survey including self-reported GPA, the Problematic Internet Consumption Scale, the Internet Engagement Profile Scale, and a Cyberloafing Scale developed for the present study. Academic achievement was measured using students’ self-reported grade point averages. The data were analyzed using independent samples t tests, analysis of variance, and Pearson product moment correlation analysis. The findings revealed significant negative relationships between academic achievement and both cyberloafing and problematic internet use. In contrast, academic achievement was positively associated with the information-seeking Internet Engagement Profile. Male students reported higher levels of problematic internet use and cyberloafing than female students. In addition, longer daily study time and less frequent smartphone checking were associated with higher academic achievement and more adaptive Internet Engagement Profiles. Overall, the results indicate that maladaptive digital behaviors are negatively related to academic outcomes, whereas information-oriented internet engagement supports academic success.