<p>Short video indulgence has become prevalent among college students, posing a threat to their psychological health. This research explores the relationship between college students’ capacity to be alone and short video indulgence, focusing on the mediating roles of mindfulness and state boredom. Study 1 surveyed 673 undergraduates, assessing their capacity to be alone, mindfulness, state boredom, and short video indulgence. Results showed that the capacity to be alone negatively affects short video indulgence through a chain-mediated effects involving mindfulness and state boredom. In Study 2, 60 participants from Study 1 were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. The intervention group received mindfulness training, which led to a significant increase in mindfulness levels, a reduction in state boredom, and a decrease in short video indulgence, with lasting effects over time. These findings advance the understanding of short video indulgence by identifying a chain-mediated pathway linking the capacity to be alone to problematic usage through mindfulness and state boredom. Practically, this research offers a concrete, empirically-supported intervention protocol that colleges can directly implement, such as incorporating mindfulness-based programs into mental health services to enhance students’ capacity for healthy solitude and mitigate short video indulgence.</p>