Physical Exercise and Behavioral Addiction: How Self-Control and Subjective Emptiness Jointly Mediate the Reduction of Short-Video Addiction in Adolescents
Abstract
Background: Short-video addiction is prevalent among adolescents and threatens their development. This study aimed to examine the relationships among physical exercise, self-control, subjective emptiness, and short-video addiction in adolescents and the underlying mechanisms.
Methods: A total of 889 adolescents were recruited from 3 middle schools in Zhejiang Province, China. Data collection was conducted from April to June 2025 using a questionnaire.
Results: The mean score of short-video addiction in adolescents was 3.01; physical exercise was negatively correlated with short-video addiction (r=−0.626, P<0.001); self-control (effect=−0.106, 95% CI [−0.175, −0.047]) and subjective emptiness (effect=−0.360, 95% CI [−0.492, −0.260]) mediated the relationship between physical exercise and short-video addiction; and the chain mediation model shaped by self-control and subjective emptiness had a statistically significant effect (effect=−0.064, 95% CI [−0.115, −0.025]).
Conclusion: Physical exercise contributes to mitigating short-video addiction in adolescents by enhancing self-control and alleviating psychological emptiness. Relevant interventions should integrate physical activities to improve adolescents’ self-management abilities, satisfy their psychological needs, and lay a foundation for the prevention and treatment of this addictive behavior.
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2. Pan JX, Guo JQ, Wu YJ, et al (2024). Latent profile analysis of college students' short-form video addiction. Chinese J School Health, 45(2): 244-7.
3. Zheng MR , Wu XD , Chen P, et al (2025). Prevalence of internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: A comprehensive meta-analysis of 164 epidemiological studies. Asian J Psychiatr, 104458.
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5. Lin J (2024). To What Extent Does Exces-sive Addiction to Short Videos Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health?. Adv Soc Behav Res, 11: 11-8.
6. Qu D, Liu B, Jia L, et al (2024. The longitu-dinal relationships between short video addiction and depressive symptoms: a cross-lagged panel network analysis. Comput Hum Behav, 152: 108059.
7. Boat R, Cooper S B (2019). Self-control and exercise: a review of the bi-directional relationship. Brain Plasticity, 5(1): 97-104.
8. Wang M, Yang X, Yu J, et al (2023). Effects of physical activity on inhibitory func-tion in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic re-view and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 20(2): 1032.
9. Hu Q, Tao T, Gao WB, et al (2022). A sys-tematic review of adolescents’ self-control researches. Chinese Mental Health J, 36(2): 129-34.
10. Yang M, Zhang L, Deng XM, et al (2023). Age-Related Differences in Emotional Conflict Control:A Behavioral and ERP Study. J Psychol Sci, 46(2):307-19.
11. Fu CC, Xiong ZX, Yang Q, et al (2024). Va-lidity and Reliability of Subjective Emp-tiness Scale in Chinese College Students. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 32(2): 304-8.
12. Zerach G (2021). Emptiness mediates the association between pathological narcis-sism and problematic smartphone use. Psychiatr Q, 92(1): 363-73.
13. Ding J, Hu Z, Zuo Y, et al (2024). The rela-tionships between short video addiction, subjective well-being, social support, personality, and core self-evaluation: a latent profile analysis. BMC Public Health, 24(1): 3459.
14. Clevinger K, Petrie T, Martin S, et al (2020). The relationship of sport involvement and gender to physical fitness, self-efficacy, and self-concept in middle school students. Phys Educ-US, 77(1): 154-72.
15. De Greeff JW, Bosker RJ, Oosterlaan J, et al (2018). Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention and aca-demic performance in preadolescent children: a meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport, 21(5): 501-7.
16. Wen ZL, Fan J, Sheng JQ, Tan YT, Li DX, Ma YM (2021). A review of research on psychological statistics in China’s main-land from 2001 to 2020. Adv Psychol Sci, 29(8): 1331-44
17. Fu CC, Xiong ZX, Yang Q, Ye BJ, Sheng HX (2024). Validity and Reliability of Subjective Emptiness Scale in Chinese College Students. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 32(2): 304-8.
18. Price AL, Mahler HIM, Hopwood CJ (2022). Construction and validation of a self-report subjective emptiness scale. Assess-ment, 29(3): 397-409.
19. Liang DQ (1994). Stress Level of College Students and Its Relation with Physical Exercise. Chinese Ment Health J, 7(1): 5-6.
20. Xie DJ, Wang LG, Tao T, et al (2014). Va-lidity and reliability of the Chinese ver-sion of the Dual-Mode of Self-Control Scale for adolescents. Chinese Ment Health J, 28(5): 386-91
21. Hu W, Jiang YH, Wang Q, et al (2021). Rela-tionship between Short-form Video So-cial Media Addiction and Sleep Dis-turbance of College Students: The Medi-ating Role of Nighttime Social Media Use and the Moderating Role of Gen-der. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 29(1): 46-50.
22. Ge MW, Hu FH, Jia YJ, et al (2025). The re-lationship between loneliness and inter-net or smartphone addiction among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Rep, 128(3): 1429-51.
23. Xia YW, Shi HF, Li MS, et al (2025). Analy-sis of the Influencing Factors for De-pression of Female Caregivers of Left-behind Children in Rural Area in China. Chinese General Practice, 28(14): 1717-22.
24. Chen J, Kwok APK, Li Y (2024). Postural control and cognitive flexibility in skilled athletes: Insights from dual-task performance and event-related poten-tials. Brain Res Bull, 212: 110957.
25. Wu Y (2022). Research Progress and Pro-spect of Interparental Conflict and Ado-lescent Behavioral Problems. Adv Psychol, 12(2): 537-43.
26. Ferdowsi MH, Hossini H, Rouzbahani M, et al (2025). The Pattern of Participation in Leisure Sports Activities and the Status of Addiction to Virtual Spaces among Physical Education Teachers. Res Educ Sport, 12(37): 133-52.
27. Hu GF, Cheng X, Cheng HD, et al (2024). Mediating Effects of the Fear of Missing Out in the Relationship Between the Physical Exercise Environment and Mobile Phone Addiction in Colleges and Universities. Contemp Sports Technol, 14(4): 149-52
28. Bernecker K, Becker D (2021). Beyond self-control: Mechanisms of hedonic goal pursuit and its relevance for well-being. Pers Soc Psychol Bull, 47(4): 627-42.
29. Rezaee Z, Marandi SM, Alaei H, et al (2023). Exercise-induced Brain-derived neu-rotrophic factor regulation in the brain dysfunctions. Sci Sport, 38(5-6): 519-526.
30. Zheng YN, Liu DX (2020). Prevalence and correlates of hoarding behaviors among college students in China. Chinese J Public Health, 36(10): 1474-7.
2. Pan JX, Guo JQ, Wu YJ, et al (2024). Latent profile analysis of college students' short-form video addiction. Chinese J School Health, 45(2): 244-7.
3. Zheng MR , Wu XD , Chen P, et al (2025). Prevalence of internet addiction among Chinese adolescents: A comprehensive meta-analysis of 164 epidemiological studies. Asian J Psychiatr, 104458.
4. Jiang L, Yoo Y (2024). Adolescents’ short-form video addiction and sleep quality: the mediating role of social anxiety. BMC Psychol, 12(1): 369.
5. Lin J (2024). To What Extent Does Exces-sive Addiction to Short Videos Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health?. Adv Soc Behav Res, 11: 11-8.
6. Qu D, Liu B, Jia L, et al (2024. The longitu-dinal relationships between short video addiction and depressive symptoms: a cross-lagged panel network analysis. Comput Hum Behav, 152: 108059.
7. Boat R, Cooper S B (2019). Self-control and exercise: a review of the bi-directional relationship. Brain Plasticity, 5(1): 97-104.
8. Wang M, Yang X, Yu J, et al (2023). Effects of physical activity on inhibitory func-tion in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a systematic re-view and meta-analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 20(2): 1032.
9. Hu Q, Tao T, Gao WB, et al (2022). A sys-tematic review of adolescents’ self-control researches. Chinese Mental Health J, 36(2): 129-34.
10. Yang M, Zhang L, Deng XM, et al (2023). Age-Related Differences in Emotional Conflict Control:A Behavioral and ERP Study. J Psychol Sci, 46(2):307-19.
11. Fu CC, Xiong ZX, Yang Q, et al (2024). Va-lidity and Reliability of Subjective Emp-tiness Scale in Chinese College Students. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 32(2): 304-8.
12. Zerach G (2021). Emptiness mediates the association between pathological narcis-sism and problematic smartphone use. Psychiatr Q, 92(1): 363-73.
13. Ding J, Hu Z, Zuo Y, et al (2024). The rela-tionships between short video addiction, subjective well-being, social support, personality, and core self-evaluation: a latent profile analysis. BMC Public Health, 24(1): 3459.
14. Clevinger K, Petrie T, Martin S, et al (2020). The relationship of sport involvement and gender to physical fitness, self-efficacy, and self-concept in middle school students. Phys Educ-US, 77(1): 154-72.
15. De Greeff JW, Bosker RJ, Oosterlaan J, et al (2018). Effects of physical activity on executive functions, attention and aca-demic performance in preadolescent children: a meta-analysis. J Sci Med Sport, 21(5): 501-7.
16. Wen ZL, Fan J, Sheng JQ, Tan YT, Li DX, Ma YM (2021). A review of research on psychological statistics in China’s main-land from 2001 to 2020. Adv Psychol Sci, 29(8): 1331-44
17. Fu CC, Xiong ZX, Yang Q, Ye BJ, Sheng HX (2024). Validity and Reliability of Subjective Emptiness Scale in Chinese College Students. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 32(2): 304-8.
18. Price AL, Mahler HIM, Hopwood CJ (2022). Construction and validation of a self-report subjective emptiness scale. Assess-ment, 29(3): 397-409.
19. Liang DQ (1994). Stress Level of College Students and Its Relation with Physical Exercise. Chinese Ment Health J, 7(1): 5-6.
20. Xie DJ, Wang LG, Tao T, et al (2014). Va-lidity and reliability of the Chinese ver-sion of the Dual-Mode of Self-Control Scale for adolescents. Chinese Ment Health J, 28(5): 386-91
21. Hu W, Jiang YH, Wang Q, et al (2021). Rela-tionship between Short-form Video So-cial Media Addiction and Sleep Dis-turbance of College Students: The Medi-ating Role of Nighttime Social Media Use and the Moderating Role of Gen-der. Chinese J Clin Psychol, 29(1): 46-50.
22. Ge MW, Hu FH, Jia YJ, et al (2025). The re-lationship between loneliness and inter-net or smartphone addiction among adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Psychol Rep, 128(3): 1429-51.
23. Xia YW, Shi HF, Li MS, et al (2025). Analy-sis of the Influencing Factors for De-pression of Female Caregivers of Left-behind Children in Rural Area in China. Chinese General Practice, 28(14): 1717-22.
24. Chen J, Kwok APK, Li Y (2024). Postural control and cognitive flexibility in skilled athletes: Insights from dual-task performance and event-related poten-tials. Brain Res Bull, 212: 110957.
25. Wu Y (2022). Research Progress and Pro-spect of Interparental Conflict and Ado-lescent Behavioral Problems. Adv Psychol, 12(2): 537-43.
26. Ferdowsi MH, Hossini H, Rouzbahani M, et al (2025). The Pattern of Participation in Leisure Sports Activities and the Status of Addiction to Virtual Spaces among Physical Education Teachers. Res Educ Sport, 12(37): 133-52.
27. Hu GF, Cheng X, Cheng HD, et al (2024). Mediating Effects of the Fear of Missing Out in the Relationship Between the Physical Exercise Environment and Mobile Phone Addiction in Colleges and Universities. Contemp Sports Technol, 14(4): 149-52
28. Bernecker K, Becker D (2021). Beyond self-control: Mechanisms of hedonic goal pursuit and its relevance for well-being. Pers Soc Psychol Bull, 47(4): 627-42.
29. Rezaee Z, Marandi SM, Alaei H, et al (2023). Exercise-induced Brain-derived neu-rotrophic factor regulation in the brain dysfunctions. Sci Sport, 38(5-6): 519-526.
30. Zheng YN, Liu DX (2020). Prevalence and correlates of hoarding behaviors among college students in China. Chinese J Public Health, 36(10): 1474-7.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 54 No 9 (2025) | |
| Section | Original Article(s) | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/ijph.v54i9.19864 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Short-video addiction Adolescent Physical exercise Mediation effect | ||
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How to Cite
1.
Su Z, Zhang Z, Zhan X, Xiao X. Physical Exercise and Behavioral Addiction: How Self-Control and Subjective Emptiness Jointly Mediate the Reduction of Short-Video Addiction in Adolescents. Iran J Public Health. 2025;54(9):1975-1984.
