AUTHOR=Chen Fanfeng 

TITLE=The relationship between digital literacy and college students’ academic achievement: the chain mediating role of learning adaptation and online self-regulated learning

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1590649

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1590649

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=ObjectThis study explores the relationship between digital literacy and college students’ academic achievement and focuses on the mechanism of learning adaptation and online self-regulated learning.MethodA total of 894 college students were tested using digital literacy, learning adaptation, self-regulated learning, and academic achievement scales. SPSS 26.0 and Amos 24.0, structural equation modelling were used to examine the direct and interactive effects of these variables on academic achievement.ResultsThe findings demonstrated that digital literacy significantly and positively predicted college students’ academic achievement. Furthermore, both learning adaptation and online self-regulated learning were found to individually mediate this relationship. Notably, a sequential chain mediation was also confirmed: digital literacy enhanced learning adaptation, which subsequently fostered online self-regulated learning, ultimately leading to improved academic achievement. The results suggest the important factors affecting the academic achievement of college students, help improve their academic achievement, and provide useful suggestions for the education and teaching strategies of higher education management departments and educators.