Scholarlink

Objective <p>Problematic smartphone use has become a prominent public health issue in the information era. Although research has shown that exercise is beneficial in alleviating problematic smartphone use among adolescents, the specific underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study aims to explore the internal mechanisms between self-control and the meaning in life in adolescents’ problematic smartphone use (PSU) through physical exercise.</p> Methods <p>A multi-center, large-sample cross-sectional study was conducted among students from 34 primary and secondary schools in western China. Assessments were conducted using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis based on structural equation modeling.</p> Results <p>A total of 8,245 participants were included. The rates of PSU in males and females were found to be 23.97% and 19.47%, respectively. After adjusting for relevant demographic covariates, structural equation modeling analysis indicated that exercise was negatively associated with PSU (β = -0.056, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001). Both self-control (β = -0.034, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) and meaning in life (β = -0.019, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) played potential partial mediating roles in the relationship between physical exercise and PSU. Furthermore, self-control and meaning in life served as potential partial chain mediators between physical exercise and adolescent PSU (β = -0.011, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.001), accounting for 9.17% of the total association.</p> Conclusion <p>Maintaining regular physical exercise can enhance adolescents’ self-control ability and meaning in life thereby helping to prevent or alleviate PSU behaviors.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Physical exercise and problematic smartphone use among adolescents in Western China: a multi-center cross-sectional study on the serial mediation of self-control and meaning in life

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月27日

查看全文
  • Xingyu He,
  • Min Liu,
  • Ping Mo,
  • Wenxiu Luo,
  • Jiaming Luo

摘要

Objective

Problematic smartphone use has become a prominent public health issue in the information era. Although research has shown that exercise is beneficial in alleviating problematic smartphone use among adolescents, the specific underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study aims to explore the internal mechanisms between self-control and the meaning in life in adolescents’ problematic smartphone use (PSU) through physical exercise.

Methods

A multi-center, large-sample cross-sectional study was conducted among students from 34 primary and secondary schools in western China. Assessments were conducted using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), the Brief Self-Control Scale (BSCS), Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version (SAS-SV). Data were analyzed using the Mann–Whitney U test, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis based on structural equation modeling.

Results

A total of 8,245 participants were included. The rates of PSU in males and females were found to be 23.97% and 19.47%, respectively. After adjusting for relevant demographic covariates, structural equation modeling analysis indicated that exercise was negatively associated with PSU (β = -0.056, p < 0.001). Both self-control (β = -0.034, p < 0.001) and meaning in life (β = -0.019, p < 0.001) played potential partial mediating roles in the relationship between physical exercise and PSU. Furthermore, self-control and meaning in life served as potential partial chain mediators between physical exercise and adolescent PSU (β = -0.011, p < 0.001), accounting for 9.17% of the total association.

Conclusion

Maintaining regular physical exercise can enhance adolescents’ self-control ability and meaning in life thereby helping to prevent or alleviate PSU behaviors.