How maladaptive internet use translates into online learning disengagement: the mediating role of academic anxiety and the moderating role of self-handicapping among Chinese adolescents.

Introduction: While online education provides flexible learning opportunities, it also exposes students to risks of maladaptive Internet use andpsychological distress. Methods: This study investigated the mechanisms linking maladaptive Internet use to online learning disengagement by examining the mediating role of academic anxiety and the moderating role of self-handicapping within a moderated mediation model, drawing on social cognitive theory, self-worth theory, and compensatory Internet use theory. A total of 404 10th-grade Chinese high school students (M_age = 15.47 years, 48.3% female) participated in the self-report surveys. Results: Results indicated that (1) maladaptive Internet use had a positive association with online learning disengagement both directly and indirectly through its association with academic anxiety; (2) Self-handicapping negatively moderated boththe paths from maladaptive Internet use and academic anxiety to disengagement, attenuating the strength of these associations with disengagement. All students exhibited greater disengagement as maladaptive Internet use or anxiety increased,yet the magnitude of this increase was roughly twice as large among students low in self-handicapping ( Discussion: Findings extend self-worth theory by showing that self-handicapping is associated with a comparatively weaker behavioral response to maladaptive Internet use and academic anxiety, consistent with a short-term attributional buffering function. They also suggest that creating stable, low-pressure learning environments and providing emotional support may help sustain engagement, particularly among students low in self-handicapping.