ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Health Education and Promotion
Volume 13 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1681556
Dual-pathway protection: Physical activity buffers the relationship between perceived stress and problematic smartphone use via social anxiety by a moderated mediation model in Chinese college students
Provisionally accepted
- 1Jining Medical University, Jining, China
- 2Jining Medical University Clinical Medical College, Jining, China
- 3Chengde Medical University, Chengde, China
- 4Jining Ploytechnic, Jining, China
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Objective: This study investigates the dual-pathway mechanism through which physical activity mitigates problematic smartphone use (PSU) among Chinese college students, examining the mediating role of social anxiety and the moderating effects of physical activity within a stress-PSU framework. Methods: General stress theory was introduced to explore the intrinsic mechanisms by which perceived stress influences PSU. A total of 2,905 undergraduate students from universities in Shandong Province were selected using a convenient sampling method. Validated scales were used to measure perceived stress (PSS-14), social anxiety (IAS), physical activity (PARS-3) and PSU tendency (MPATS). Data analysis included correlation tests, regression analysis and moderated mediation modelling (PROCESS Macro Model 4/15). Results: 1. There was a significant positive correlation between perceived stres s, social anxiety and problematic smartphone use (All P<0.01). Significant gend er differences were found in social anxiety (P<0.001) and problematic smartpho ne use (P<0.05). 2. Path analysis revealed: A significant direct effect of perce ived stress on PSU (β=0.537, 95%CI[0.490, 0.586]), accounting for 70.94% of the total effect. Social anxiety mediated 29.06% of the effect (indirect effect=0. 220, 95%CI[0.195, 0.244]). 3. Physical activity demonstrated dual moderating e ffects: Buffered the direct stress-PSU pathway (β=-0.005, P<0.001). Attenuated the social anxiety-PSU association (interaction β=0.002, P<0.05) Conclusion: Physical activity disrupts the stress-PSU cycle through two synergistic mechanisms: directly reducing stress-driven addiction and decoupling social anxiety from excessive smartphone use. Universities should implement structured physical activity programs as a dual-path intervention against PSU.
Keywords: physical activity, Problematic smartphone use, college students, social anxiety, perceived stress, a moderated mediation model
Received: 07 Aug 2025; Accepted: 13 Oct 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Liu, Han and zhang. 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: guofeng zhang, guofeng_2011@163.com
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