Internet usage inequality among high school students: Patterns, motivational predictors, and educational outcomes

Abstract

Concerns over Internet usage inequality, particularly excessive usage patterns among adolescents, have intensified due to their potential to widen educational disparities and reinforce existing social inequalities. Many countries have implemented school-wide mobile phone bans to curb inappropriate use during school hours. However, little is known about how such policies influence students' Internet use in out-of-school contexts, or how different cultural and motivational factors help shape these usage patterns. This cross-sectional study examined heterogeneous Internet use patterns within and outside school across school types, under a national mobile phone ban policy, using data from 5160 Chinese high school students (51 % girls, M_age = 15.64, SD = 0.57). Latent profile analyses revealed three usage profiles in elite schools (minimal users, moderate users, and all-time heavy users) and four profiles in non-elite schools, including a distinct group termed “after-school heavy users”. Multinomial logistic regression showed that in non-elite schools, high ICT-related interest and perceived autonomy in ICT use were associated with higher odds of belonging to the all-time heavy users and after-school heavy users, while perceived ICT competence and ICT as a topic in social interaction predicted more balanced profiles. Notably, after-school heavy users exhibited significantly lower academic performance and ICT competencies, identifying them as a potential risk group in the context of digital inequality. These findings extend our understanding of digital inequality by highlighting the importance of usage patterns beyond mere usage time, and offer practical insights for refining ICT policies and interventions aimed at promoting responsible and equitable Internet use.