Digital Anxiety and Learning Focus Among Senior High School Students: A Mixed-Methods Study from Buddhist Psychology Perspective in Wonogiri, Indonesian
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17977/um065.v6.i7.2026.1Keywords:
Buddhist psychology, Digital anxiety, Learning focus, Mixed methods, Senior high school studentsAbstract
This study investigated digital anxiety and its relationship with learning focus among senior high school students in Wonogiri, Indonesia, employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design integrated with Buddhist psychological perspectives. The quantitative phase collected data from 40 students using a validated 48-item questionnaire measuring social media use, digital literacy, and digital anxiety, while the qualitative phase conducted in-depth interviews with six purposively selected participants. Quantitative analysis revealed that 95% of students experienced moderate-to-high levels of digital anxiety, with a strong positive correlation between social media use and digital anxiety. Qualitative thematic analysis identified four interconnected themes forming a cyclical pattern: digital distraction patterns, academic guilt and regret, concentration difficulties, and reflective awareness with coping efforts. The integration of quantitative and qualitative findings through joint display analysis demonstrated convergence between statistical relationships and lived experiences, with high social media users reporting more intense distraction patterns and guilt. Cross-tabulation analysis revealed no significant gender differences in anxiety levels, suggesting the phenomenon affects students regardless of gender. The cyclical pattern identified parallels the Buddhist psychological concept of restlessness-worry, providing a culturally relevant framework for understanding digital anxiety among Indonesian adolescents. These findings suggest that comprehensive interventions should address multiple points in the anxiety cycle, combining mindfulness-based approaches with digital literacy education.References
Abduh, M., Alawiyah, T., Apriansyah, G., Abdullah, R., & Afgani, M. W. (2023). Survey design: Cross sectional dalam penelitian kualitatif Muhammad. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Dan Komputer, 3(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/10.47709/jpsk.v3i01.1955
Althubaiti, A., Tirksstani, J. M., Alsehaibany, A. A., Aljedani, R. S., Mutairii, A. M., & Alghamdi, N. A. (2022). Digital transformation in medical education: Factors that influence readiness. Health Informatics Journal, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1177/14604582221075554
Amalia, R., Amira, A., Nur, B., & Lubis, A. (2026). Mental health issues among Indonesian adolescents: Prevalence, contributing factors, and strategies. ALTERA (Journal of Applied Linguistics, English Teaching and Literature), 2(1), 45–57.
Asahri, P. M. (2025). Analisis kesehatan mental pelajar di era pembelajaran digital. Morfologi: Jurnal Ilmu Pendidikan, Bahasa, Sastra Dan Budaya, 3(3), 243–251. https://doi.org/10.61132/morfologi.v3i3.1704
Aschbrenner, K. (2022). Applying mixed methods to pilot feasibility studies to inform intervention trials. Pilot and Feasibility Studies, 8(217), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40814-022-01178-x
Bargiela, I. M., Estévez, I., & Bonilla-del-Río, M. (2025). Analysis of phubbing among university students: A study of its prevalence, incidence factors and predictors. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15(201), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15100201
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2020). One size fits all? What counts as quality practice in (reflexive) thematic analysis? Qualitative Research in Psychology, 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/14780887.2020.1769238
Christodoulou, A., & Roussos, P. (2025). “Phone in the room, mind on the roam”: Investigating the impact of mobile phone presence on distraction. European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education, 15(5), 3–6. https://doi.org/10.3390/ejihpe15050074
Esteban, R. F. C. (2022). Psychological distress, anxiety, and academic self-efficacy as predictors of study satisfaction among Peruvian university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.809230
Fatima, A., Akhter, S., Kanekar, A., Roy, S., Mitra, R., & Imade, B. (2025). A scoping review of the use and determinants of social media among college students. Healthcare, 13(2234), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare13172234
Febrieta, D., & Gina, F. (2024). Empowering adolescents in the digital era: A comprehensive approach to digital well-being. Nusantara Journal of Behavioral and Social Science, 3(3), 143–150. https://doi.org/10.47679/njbss.202461
Feng, X., & Liu, H. (2024). I feel blue—teacher, can you help me? A study on the effect of digital literacies on language learners’ technostress, online engagement, autonomy, and academic success. BMC Psychology, 12(143), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01637-5
Gadagnoto, T. C., Mendes, L. M., & Machado-Kayzuka, G. C. (2024). Beyond the screens: Reflections of remote learning on adolescents’ mental health. School and Educational Psychology, 34, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-4327e3432
Gong, Z., & Guo, Y. (2025). Social media use and academic performance among college students: The chain mediating roles of social anxiety and fear of missing out and the moderating effect of teacher-student relationship. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1649890
Jacksona, C. (2020). Teaching citizen scientists to categorize glitches using machine learning guided training. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106217
Keles, B., & McCrae, N. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79–93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851
Kheminda, A. (2019). Manual faktor-faktor mental (2nd ed.). Jakarta Barat: Yayasan Dhammavihari.
Lampropoulos, S., & Gezerlis, L. (2024). Exploring digital stress of Finnish adolescents and their parents. Children, 11(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/children11121472
Masri-Zada, T., Martirosyan, S., Abdou, A., Barbar, R., Kades, S., Makki, H., & Agrawal, D. K. (2025). The impact of social media and technology on child and adolescent mental health. Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Disorders, 9(2), 111–130. https://doi.org/10.26502/jppd.2572-519X0242
Merino, M., Tornero-Aguilera, J. F., Rubio-Zarapuz, A., Villanueva-Tobaldo, C. V., Martí, A., & Javier, V. (2024). Body perceptions and psychological well-being: A review of the impact of social media and physical measurements on self-esteem and mental health with a focus on body image satisfaction and its relationship with cultural and gender factors. Healthcare, 12, 2–44. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12141396
Nita, R. W., & Putra, F. (2025). Profil masalah emosional peserta didik berprestasi akademik dengan teman sebaya (Studi kualitatif pada peserta didik di SMAN 2 Pasaman). Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 10(3), 1525–1535. https://doi.org/10.34125/jmp.v10i3.816
Novianti. (2024). Analisis kondisi regulasi emosi remaja beragama Buddha di Kabupaten Wonogiri. Jurnal Psikoedukasi Dan Konseling, 8(2), 62–71. https://doi.org/10.20961/jpk.v8i2.95595
Orben, A. (2020). The Sisyphean cycle of technology panics. Association for Psychological Science, 15(5), 1143–1157. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691620919372
Peters, M., & Fàbregues, S. (2024). Missed opportunities in mixed methods EdTech research? Visual joint display development as an analytical strategy for achieving integration in mixed methods studies. Educational Technology Research and Development, 72(5), 2477–2497. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-023-10234-z
Pfaffinger, K. F., Reif, J. A. M., Huber, A. K., Eger, V. M., Dengler, M. K., Philipp, J., & Rita, S. (2021). Digitalisation anxiety: Development and validation of a new scale. Discover Mental Health, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.1007/s44192-021-00003-w
Ratu. (2026). Prestasi belajar mahasiswa di perguruan tinggi. Ganesha Civic Education Journal, 8(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.23887/gancej.v8i1.7008
Safaria, T., Nubli, M., Wahab, A., Suyono, H., & Hartanto, D. (2024). Smartphone use as a mediator of self-control and emotional dysregulation in nomophobia: A cross-national study of Indonesia and Malaysia. Psikohumaniora: Jurnal Penelitian Psikologi, 9(1), 37–58. https://doi.org/10.21580/pjpp.v9i1.20740
Samanta, P., Mohapatra, I., Mitra, R., Mishra, J., Mahapatra, P., Mohakud, N. K., & Nanda, P. (2024). Mindfulness as a path to freedom from internet addiction in adolescents: A narrative review. Cureus, 16(10). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.72544
Siste, K., Hanafi, E., Sen, L. T., Murtani, B. J., & Christian, H. (2021). Implications of COVID-19 and lockdown on internet addiction among adolescents: Data from a developing country. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 12, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.665675
Song, C., Xia, Y., Zhang, Z., & Liu, R. (2024). Harnessing digital strategies to manage emotional health among students of Gen Z. Asia Pacific Academic of Science, 5(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.54517/m.v5i1.2707
Tanil, C. T., Hooi, M., & Y. Id. (2020). Mobile phones: The effect of its presence on learning and memory. PLoS ONE, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219233
Throuvala. (2021). Perceived challenges and online harms from social media use on a severity continuum: A qualitative psychological stakeholder perspective. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18, 3–4. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063227
Troche, D. C., Boumadan, M., & Gómez, M. (2025). Digital competence as psychological defense: Impact of digital competence on problematic mobile use among Paraguayan university students. Behavioral Sciences, 15(1687), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15121687
Wang, C. (2022). Empowering college students to decrease digital distraction through the use of self-regulated learning strategies. Contemporary Educational Technology, 14(4), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12456
Wen, Z., Yifan, C., & Gaohui, C. (2024). Digital stress among Chinese adolescents: A focus group study. Information Research, 29(2), 619–634. https://doi.org/10.47989/ir292852
Zhou, J., Jin, L., & Hu, Y. (2026). From distraction to addiction? Understanding academic cyberslacking as a behavioral dependency among medical students. Frontiers in Psychology, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1592370
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Indi Darma Oktavia, Hesti Sadtyadi, Novianti Novianti

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.





