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Author ORCID Identifier

Sriyanto Sriyanto: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0819-4132

Abstract

The escalating smartphone usage (SU) among Junior Secondary School (JSS) students necessitates rigorous investigation of its multifaceted impacts on social skills (SS), communication skills (CS), and student well-being (SW), particularly through the lens of mediation and moderation analysis that current studies have overlooked. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the impact of SU on SS, CS, and SW, considering the mediating and moderating roles of related variables. The research design utilized a survey and a cross-sectional approach involving JSC students in Banyumas Regency, Central Java Province, Indonesia (N=500). Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by adapting standardized instruments to measure SS, SW, CS, and SU, with validation through field trials. Data analysis used Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to evaluate causal relationships and correlations between variables while testing the validity of the measurement model. The study results indicate that the variables SS and SW collectively have a significant impact on the increase in CS, accounting for 72% of the change. However, these two variables are less suitable for a direct relationship with SU, while SS, SW, and CS variables are involved. SS and SW are more appropriate when they have an indirect relationship with SU through CS, as indicated by high beta coefficients and correlation values (0.803). CS is a crucial intervening variable in understanding the indirect relationship between SU, SS, and SW. The findings highlight the theoretical importance of CS as a mediating variable in the relationship between SS, SW, and SU while offering practical insights for educators and policymakers to design interventions that enhance communication skills to positively influence students' smartphone usage patterns.

First Page

1

Last Page

19

Ethics Approval

Yes

Declaration Statement

Data availability:

Data availability is subject to the approval from participants of the survey. During the survey it was promised that data will be kept confidential and will be used for this project only.

Declaration of Competing Interest:

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Participation consent statement:

After the questionnaires’ administration, the participants were firmly assured of the confidentiality that would be maintained throughout the study process. Approval from all related authorities was taken before proceeding with the survey. We would also like to confirm that no known conflicts of interest exist in this publication.

Conflict of Interest:

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Permission to reproduce materials from other sources (N/A)

Clinical trial registration (N/A)

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