Investigating factors that influence conventional distraction and tech-related distraction in math homework

•This study examined high school students' distractions in math homework.•Conventional distraction (CD) and tech-related distraction (TD) were distinguishable.•Both CD and TD were negatively related to homework effort and value belief.•CD was negatively related to expectancy belief, affective attitude, and grade level.•TC was positively related to parent education.

This study examined high school students' distractions in math homework. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the scores of six items regarding conventional and tech-related distractions. Data revealed that conventional and tech-related distractions were empirically distinguishable. Two multilevel models were performed, with each type of distractions as the dependent variable. Both types of distraction were negatively related to four student-level variables (homework effort, homework environment, learning-oriented reasons, and value belief). In addition, both were positively related to three student-level variables (time on videogame, peer-oriented reasons, and time on homework) and one class-level variable (time on homework). Meanwhile, tech-related distraction was positively associated with parent education, whereas conventional distraction was negatively associated with expectancy belief, affective attitude, and grade level.