Physical activity and gender as dual moderators between depression and short video addiction in adolescents

Addressing and preventing short video addiction among adolescents has become an important public health concern. This study examined the association between depression and short video addiction, as well as the moderating roles of physical activity and gender. A total of 4,020 adolescents (mean age = 14.72 ± 1.43 years; 49.38% boys and 50.62% girls) were recruited using convenience sampling. Participants completed the Problematic Short Video Media Use Scale (PSVMUS), the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3). Depression was positively associated with short video addiction. Higher levels of physical activity weakened this association, and this buffering effect was more pronounced among girls than boys. These findings indicate that physical activity serves as an important protective factor against short video addiction in adolescents experiencing depressive symptoms, particularly among girls. Promoting regular physical activity may therefore represent a practical and gender-sensitive strategy for reducing the risk of short video addiction and improving adolescent mental health.