BARRIERS TO ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE HIGHER EDUCATION: THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL SKILLS, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING

Abstract

Online higher education has expanded rapidly, yet maintaining meaningful academic engagement remains challenging for many students. This study examined the relationships between academic engagement, communication quality, digital competence, and psychological distress among students participating in online higher education. Data were collected from 100 participants using standardized self-report questionnaires and analysed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression. Academic engagement was comparatively low (M = 2.84 ± 0.65), despite relatively favourable levels of communication quality (M = 3.44 ± 0.67) and digital competence (M = 3.51 ± 0.62). Academic engagement showed a significant positive association with communication quality (r = 0.52, p < 0.01) and digital competence (r = 0.47, p < 0.01), whereas psychological distress was negatively associated with engagement (r = −0.38, p < 0.01). The regression model was statistically significant (F(3,96) = 18.34, p < 0.001) and explained 36% of the variance in academic engagement. Communication quality emerged as the strongest predictor (β = 0.38, p < 0.001), followed by digital competence (β = 0.26, p = 0.008), while psychological distress showed a significant negative contribution (β = −0.22, p = 0.012). Overall, the findings indicate that academic engagement in online higher education is shaped by interconnected relational, technological, and psychological conditions. Strengthening communication between students and instructors, improving digital competence, and providing accessible psychological support may help create more engaging and supportive online learning environments.