Physical activity as a moderator between problematic social media use and mental health in adolescents

In this study, we first explored the independent associations of problematic social media use and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with mental health outcomes measured by symptoms of depression and anxiety. Second, we examined whether MVPA moderates the relationship between problematic social media use and mental health outcomes and whether this moderating effect differs between sexes. A total of 130 adolescents (girls = 86, boys = 44, mean age = 14.2 ± 0.3 years) participated in this study. MVPA was measured using a thigh-worn triaxial accelerometer, social media use was tracked on the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) and mental health was estimated using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). The data were analysed using Mplus Version 8.6. Regression models were conducted to examine associations and moderating effects. We found that problematic social media use was associated with an increased risk of having symptoms of depression (β = 0.337, p < 0.001) and anxiety (β = 0.451, p < 0.001), especially in girls. MVPA also buffered the negative effects of problematic social media use on anxiety in girls (β =-0.246, p = 0.008). While problematic social media use is a risk factor for poorer mental health in adolescents, regular engagement in physical activity may help mitigate its adverse effects, especially for girls.