Work

The effect of physical activity on smartphone addiction among Chinese college students: a chain mediation of self-control and health-promoting lifestyle

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Objective To explore the mechanism through which physical activity influences smartphone addiction tendency among Chinese college students, and to examine the chain mediating roles of self-control and health-promoting lifestyle. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among 712 Chinese college students using the Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Self-Control Scale, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile, and the Smartphone Addiction Tendency Scale. Structural equation modeling was employed for path analysis, and the bootstrap method was used to test the mediating effects. Results The structural equation model showed a good fit. The direct effect of physical activity on smartphone addiction tendency was significant ( β = −0.249, 95% CI [−0.348, −0.147]), accounting for 61.03% of the total effect. The total indirect effect was also significant ( β = −0.159, 95% CI [−0.217, −0.102]), accounting for 38.97% of the total effect. This indirect effect comprised three pathways: the separate mediation of self-control ( β = −0.090, accounting for 22.06%), the separate mediation of health-promoting lifestyle ( β = −0.033, accounting for 8.09%), and the chain mediation of self-control → health-promoting lifestyle ( β = −0.036, accounting for 8.82%, 95% CI [−0.060, −0.014]). The model explained 30.3%, 33.3%, and 21.9% of the variance in self-control, health-promoting lifestyle, and smartphone addiction tendency, respectively. Conclusion Physical activity was significantly and negatively associated with smartphone addiction tendency among university students, with self-control and health-promoting lifestyle acting as sequential mediators. These findings suggest that interventions could integrate physical activity, self-control training, and health-promoting lifestyle education, with priority given to enhancing self-control to promote a health-promoting lifestyle, which may in turn be associated with lower smartphone addiction tendency. However, because of the cross-sectional design, causal relationships cannot be established; therefore, these intervention implications require validation in longitudinal or experimental studies.

Source: Frontiers in Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1990964

Authors: Hongsong Fu, Shirui Wang

Institution: Hainan Police College

Language: English

Topic: Impact of Technology on Adolescents

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,801