Digital Overload and Academic Stress: The Mediating Role of Online Disengagement and Cognitive Withdrawal among University Students in Jordan

Abstract

The present study aims to explore the phenomenon of digital overload (DO) and its psychological impact on the Jordanian university students, specifically on the levels of academic stress (AS) and disengagement behaviors. It states that the greater a student’s exposure to digital platforms in their academic and social life places them under constant informational pressure, too many notifications, and multitasking demands, all of which can lead to cognitive fatigue and rising levels of stress. The study also looks at how two coping strategies (online disengagement (OD) and cognitive withdrawal (CW)) mediate the link between parental involvement and academic achievement. The study also explores how two coping strategies (online disengagement (OD) and cognitive withdrawal (CW)) mediate between parental involvement and academic achievement. The data were gathered by using a structured online questionnaire for 500 samples of undergraduate and postgraduate students from public and private universities in Jordan, whose ages ranged between 18-30 years. The scales of perceived DO, OD, CW and AS were established and validated. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were used to test the hypothesized relationships in the data analysis procedures, which were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. The results indicate that DO has a significant effect on AS for students. Furthermore, OD and CW are important mediators in this relation, suggesting that both behavioral and psychological avoidance are taken up by students in the presence of an excessive digital demand. The study emphasizes the importance of creating a balanced digital learning environment in higher education institutions to reduce cognitive overload and enhance students’ digital engagement methods.