Structural Model of Correlations between Internet Addiction, Cognitive Ability, and General Health Subscales: Digital Literacy as a Mediator

Ever-increasing advances in technology and deficiency in technical expertise has posed educational challenges for students and teachers, in exploitation, information technology (IT), and cyberspace. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediating role of digital literacy in relationship between internet addiction, cognitive abilities, and general health subscales of secondary school students. A descriptive, and correlational approach was applied using the partial least squares (PLS) path modelling. ۲۰۸ high school students in Fanuj during ۲۰۲۲-۲۰۲۳ were selected via cluster sampling. To collect the data, Kimberly Young’s (۱۹۸۸) internet addiction questionnaire, Nejati’s (۲۰۱۳) cognitive ability, Goldberg’s (۱۹۷۲) general health, and Rodríguez et al.s’ (۲۰۱۶) digital literacy questionnaires were employed. The results of Pearson correlation coefficient test showed that internet addiction had a significant negative correlation with cognitive abilities; and a significant positive correlation with general health subscales. Using Smart PLS software, digital literacy as a moderator variable negated the impacts and showed a significant positive influence on cognitive ability in the model; however, a significant negative effect on social dysfunction subscale of general health was found. In this regard, diverse educational programs to increase students’ digital literacy are recommended in the implications.