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Visualization of Intensity Levels to Reduce the Gap Between Self-Reported and Directly Measured Physical Activity
Published on: March 7, 2019
Physical activity and social media addiction: a multi-mediation analysis
Cong Xue1, Liping Deng2, Zhiru Liang3
1Jishou University, Jishou, China.
Frontiers in Psychology
|June 11, 2026
Summary
Physical activity protects college students from social media addiction by enhancing psychological resilience and reducing anxiety, depression, and stress. These factors mediate the relationship, highlighting the importance of lifestyle and psychological resources.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
- Public Health
Background:
- College students exhibit a strong link between physical activity levels and social media addiction.
- The psychological mechanisms underlying this relationship require further investigation.
- Understanding these pathways can inform interventions against problematic media use.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the mediating roles of psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and stress in the relationship between physical activity and social media addiction among college students.
- To construct and test a chain-mediation model elucidating these psychological mechanisms.
- To provide a theoretical basis for the protective effects of positive behaviors on problematic media use.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2025 involving 2,033 university students.
- Self-report questionnaires assessed physical activity, social media addiction, psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and stress.
- Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation and mediation analysis (PROCESS macro for SPSS).
Main Results:
- Physical activity was negatively associated with social media addiction, even after accounting for mediators.
- Physical activity positively correlated with psychological resilience and negatively with anxiety, depression, and stress.
- Psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and stress significantly mediated the link between physical activity and social media addiction.
Conclusions:
- Psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and stress are key mediators in the association between physical activity and social media addiction.
- Findings emphasize integrating lifestyle behaviors and psychological resources to understand social media addiction development.
- The study offers insights for developing targeted interventions for university students' problematic media use.
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