ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1710564
The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Academic Burnout in Adolescents: the Chain-Mediated Role of Internet Addiction and Self-Control
Provisionally accepted
- 1Physical education institute,Shaanxi Normal University, Xian, China
- 2Department of Physical Education, Xidian University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China, XIAN, China
- 3Faculty of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China, XIAN, China
- 4Ningbo Institute of Technology Zhejiang University, Ningbo 315000, China, XIAN, China
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Background: Academic burnout represents a pressing issue among adolescents in China and has garnered increasing attention from scholars in the sport science domain. This study aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking physical exercise, internet addiction, self-control, and academic burnout, drawing on empirical survey data collected from adolescents in Shaanxi Province, China. Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional survey design, utilizing the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Chinese Internet Addiction Test (TAT), Self-Control Scale (SCS), and Academic Burnout Inventory (ABI) to collect data from 1,948 adolescents in Shaanxi Province (Mage = 13.74, SD = 1.37). Through descriptive analysis, we conducted statistical analyses on demographic variables. Utilizing Pearson correlation analysis, regression analysis, and chain mediation analysis, we constructed a relational model among variables. Results: The findings revealed significant pairwise correlations among Physical Exercise, Self-Control, Internet Addiction, and adolescent Academic Burnout. Specifically: Physical Exercise positively predicted Self-Control but negatively predicted Internet Addiction and Academic Burnout. Self-Control negatively predicted Internet Addiction and Academic Burnout. Internet Addiction positively predicted Academic Burnout. Conclusion: Self-Control and Internet Addiction independently mediated the relationship between Physical Exercise and adolescent Academic Burnout. Additionally, Self-Control and Internet Addiction jointly acted as chain mediators in this relationship.
Keywords: adolescents, physical exercise, Academic burnout, Internet addiction, Self-Control
Received: 24 Sep 2025; Accepted: 20 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Dong, Wan, Shi, Jiang, Mo and Du. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Jianbin Du, 15091670850@snnu.edu.cn
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