The relationship between physical activity and Internet addiction among adolescents in western China: a chain mediating model of anxiety and inhibitory control

ABSTRACT

This study aims to investigate the mediating effect of anxiety and inhibitory control in the relationship between physical activity and Internet addiction (IA) among adolescents. A total of 951 adolescents from western China completed a self-report survey assessing physical activity, anxiety, inhibitory control, and IA. Descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis were conducted using SPSS software and the Process plug-in. Controlling for age, gender, and only child status, the findings revealed a negative association between physical activity and anxiety, inhibitory control, and IA. Moreover, anxiety were positively correlated with inhibitory control and IA. Additionally, anxiety exhibited a positive association with inhibitory control. Notably, physical activity directly and negatively predicted IA in adolescents, while also indirectly predicting it through anxiety and inhibitory control. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the complex effects of physical activity on IA among adolescents.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• physical activity
• Internet addiction
• inhibitory control
• anxiety

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Youth Fund of the Ministry of Education [22YJC890040]; Humanities and Social Sciences Research Planning Fund of the Ministry of Education [22YJA880086]; Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Hunan College Students [S202310531015].