The impact of short‐form video overuse on prosocial and aggressive behaviours in children aged 3–6: The parallel mediating roles of empathy and emotion regulation

With the popularization of short‐form video platforms, excessive use of short‐form videos among preschool children has become increasingly prevalent. However, the mechanisms underlying its impact on children's social behaviour development remain unclear. This study aims to examine the relationship between the overuse of short‐form videos and prosocial behaviour and aggressive behaviour in preschool children, as well as the mediating roles of empathy and emotional regulation. Parents of 799 preschool children were invited to complete the Short‐Form Video Overuse Scale, Empathy Questionnaire, Emotional Regulation Scale, Prosocial Behaviour Scale and Aggressive Behaviour Scale. The results revealed that: (1) Short‐form video overuse was negatively correlated with prosocial behaviours and positively correlated with aggressive behaviours; (2) Short‐form video overuse influenced prosocial and aggressive behaviours through the mediating role of empathy (it is noteworthy that short‐form video overuse was positively correlated with empathy, while higher empathy levels were simultaneously associated with both more prosocial and aggressive behaviours); (3) Short‐form video overuse also affected prosocial and aggressive behaviours through the mediating role of emotion regulation. These findings contribute to understanding the multifaceted effects of short‐form video overuse on children's behavioural development and highlight the need for parents and educators to address preschool children's video usage.