Psychological Resilience and Emotional Distress as Chain Mediators Between Physical Activity and Short Video Dependency Among Adolescents

This cross-sectional study examined the associations among physical activity, psychological resilience, emotional distress (anxiety and depression), and short video dependency in Chinese adolescents, with a particular focus on the potential chain mediating roles of psychological resilience and emotional distress. A total of 1,002 adolescents completed self-report measures assessing physical activity, psychological resilience, anxiety, depression, and short video dependency. Correlation analyses showed that physical activity was negatively associated with anxiety, depression, and short video dependency, and positively associated with psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was negatively related to emotional distress and short video dependency, while anxiety and depression were positively associated with short video dependency. Chain mediation analyses indicated that psychological resilience and emotional distress jointly mediated the association between physical activity and short video dependency. Overall, the findings suggest that higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower short video dependency, partly through greater psychological resilience and reduced emotional distress, highlighting the potential relevance of physical activity for adolescent mental well-being and healthier digital media use.