In the digital age, university students are increasingly exposed to an attention economy in which digital platforms continuously compete for their cognitive resources. Although digital distraction has become a common issue in higher education, its underlying mechanisms affecting academic performance remain insufficiently explored. This study investigates the relationship between digital distraction and academic performance by examining the mediating role of student engagement and the moderating role of self-control. A quantitative research design was adopted, and data were collected from 268 university students through structured questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that digital distraction has a significant negative effect on academic performance. Student engagement partially mediates this relationship, indicating that digital distraction reduces students’ cognitive and behavioral involvement in learning, which subsequently lowers academic achievement. In addition, self-control moderates the relationship, as students with stronger self-regulation experience weaker negative effects, although the buffering impact is relatively limited. This study contributes to the literature by integrating mediation and moderation into a single analytical framework and highlighting student engagement as a key explanatory mechanism. It also reconceptualizes digital distraction as a structural issue shaped by the attention economy rather than merely an individual problem. The findings provide practical implications for educators and institutions in promoting engagement and attention management in digitally intensive learning environments.
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