What the study found
Higher physical activity was associated with lower short video dependency among Chinese adolescents. The study also found that psychological resilience and emotional distress were linked in ways that helped explain this association.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that physical activity may be relevant to adolescent mental well-being and healthier digital media use. They suggest this is partly because physical activity is associated with greater psychological resilience and lower emotional distress.
What the researchers tested
This cross-sectional study examined associations among physical activity, psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and short video dependency in Chinese adolescents. A total of 1,002 adolescents completed self-report measures, and the researchers used correlation analyses and chain mediation analyses.
What worked and what didn't
Physical activity was negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and short video dependency, and positively associated with psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was negatively related to emotional distress and short video dependency, while anxiety and depression were positively associated with short video dependency. The chain mediation analyses indicated that psychological resilience and emotional distress jointly mediated the association between physical activity and short video dependency.
What to keep in mind
The study was cross-sectional, so the available summary does not describe causal conclusions. The measures were self-reported, and the abstract does not describe additional limitations.
Key points
- The study found an association between higher physical activity and lower short video dependency.
- Physical activity was also associated with lower anxiety and depression, and with higher psychological resilience.
- Psychological resilience was linked to lower emotional distress and lower short video dependency.
- Anxiety and depression were linked to higher short video dependency.
- Psychological resilience and emotional distress jointly mediated the physical activity–short video dependency association.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Physical activity linked to lower short video dependency in adolescents
- Authors:
- Chuqi Yan, Ying Liu, Ting Xiao, Tiancheng Zhang
- Institutions:
- Jishou University
- Publication date:
- 2026-02-09
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.