Short-form video addiction and academic burnout in adolescence: the mediating role of emotional state and the moderating role of grade level.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship between short-form video addiction and academic burnout among adolescents, focusing on the mediating role of emotional state and the moderating role of grade level. The potential moderating role of family intimacy was also explored.

METHODS

A sample of 1,719 secondary school students (51.9% male) from five provinces in China completed validated measures of short-form video addiction, emotional state (DASS-21), family intimacy (Family Environment Scale), and academic burnout. Moderated mediation analyses were conducted using linear regression with bootstrapped confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Short-form video addiction positively predicted academic burnout (β = 0.162, p < 0.001). Emotional state partially mediated this association [indirect effect = 0.034, 95% bootstrap CI (0.022, 0.046)], accounting for 17.3% of the total effect. Grade level significantly moderated the direct path (β = -0.024, p = 0.009), such that the association between addiction and burnout decreased with advancing grade level. The interaction between emotional state and family intimacy was not statistically significant (β = 0.012, p = 0.334). The interaction between addiction and family intimacy was significant (β = -0.026, p = 0.039).

CONCLUSION

Grade level significantly attenuated the direct risk of short-form video addiction, whereas family intimacy did not reliably moderate the emotional pathway. Interventions targeting emotion regulation skills and considering developmental stage may be promising for reducing academic burnout among adolescents.