The multiple mediating effects of emotional distress and inhibitory control between physical activity and adolescent internet addiction

This study aimed to examine the effect of physical activity (PA) on adolescent Internet addiction (IA), as well as the chain-mediating roles of emotional distress (EDs, including depression, anxiety, and stress) and inhibitory control (IC). The findings are intended to provide empirical evidence for the prevention and intervention of adolescent IA. In October 2023, a convenience sampling approach was employed to recruit 900 middle school students from six schools across Shandong, Hebei, Henan, and Hunan provinces in China. Participants included 437 boys (48.6%) and 463 girls (51.4%). Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Scale, Depression-Anxiety-Stress Scale, Internet Addiction Scale, and Inhibitory Control Subscale. Normality tests, descriptive statistics, and Pearson correlation analyses were conducted with SPSS 26.0, while mediation effects were tested using PROCESS 4.1 Model 80. PA showed a significant negative correlation with adolescent EDs and IA, and a significant positive correlation with IC. Model testing revealed that depression significantly mediated the relationship between PA and IA. Furthermore, only stress significantly mediated the relationships among PA, IC, and adolescent IA. This study clarifies the complex relationships among PA, EDs, IC, and adolescent IA. The results suggest that promoting PA and strengthening IC may be effective strategies for reducing IA among adolescents, with particular attention to the dimensions of depression and stress within EDs. These findings have important implications for prevention and intervention efforts.