Study2026Open access

The relationship between mindfulness, self-control, and short video addiction among medical students

Luo Y, Li Y, Wu Q, Shi P

Frontiers in psychology · 1 citation

How it was studied

Design
Cross-sectional study (classified by our AI screen)
Studied in
People
Main outcome
Health markers and function

Who paid for it

Funding
Independent funding

Based on full-text disclosure statement.

Publication

Published
2026-05-01 · Front Psychol · vol. 17 · p. 1746374
Publisher
Frontiers Media
Cited
1 citation · more than 97% of similar papers · 8.9× the field average
Impact
Top 10% most cited in its field
References
0 works
Access
Open access (journal) · CC-BY
Research areas
Mindfulness and Compassion Interventions · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Impact of Technology on Adolescents
Keywords
short video addiction, mindfulness, self-control, medical students, academic stress, only children, mediation, person-centered analysis

4 authors

From CN

  • Yi LuoFujian Medical University
  • Yulian LiFujian Medical University
  • Quanmin WuFujian Medical University
  • Pengchong ShiUnion Hospital

Abstract

Background

The prevalence of short video addiction is rising among college students, potentially exerting detrimental effects on their physical and mental wellbeing. Medical students, who experience relatively higher levels of academic stress, may be particularly susceptible to the adverse consequence of short video addiction. However, the specific factors influencing this addiction and the underlying mechanisms remain insufficiently understood.

Objective

This study aims to examine the relationship between mindfulness, self-control, and short video addiction, as well as to identify potential profile characteristics of short video addiction among medical students.

Methods

The study employed the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Self-Control Scale, and the Short Video Addiction Scale. A combination of variable-centered and person-centered research methodologies was utilized. A total of 892 medical students participated in the survey.

Results

The results revealed the following: (1) Mindfulness and self-control abilities were found to be negatively correlated with short video addiction. Self-control served as a mediating factor between mindfulness awareness and short video addiction, exhibiting a total indirect effect of 83.33%. (2) Short video addiction was categorized into three levels: low-risk addiction (17.60%), medium-risk addiction (57.06%), and high-risk addiction (25.34%). (3) Logistic regression analysis revealed that students with low self-control were more likely to fall into the medium-risk and high-risk addiction categories. Additionally, non-only children were more likely to be classified into the medium or high-risk addiction groups compared to only children. (4) The mediation analysis based on latent profile categories shows that self-control in the medium-risk addiction group plays a mediating role between mindfulness and short-video addiction.

Conclusion

This study underscores the significant role of mindfulness and self-control in the intervention and prevention among different populations at risk of short video addiction. It also highlights the impact of individual demographic characteristics on the occurrence and progression of short video addiction. The implications of the research findings and the limitations of the study are thoroughly discussed.

Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher (CC BY).

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