Longitudinal relationship between mobile phone addiction and adolescents’ perceived stress: mediating role of self-control and moderating role of physical exercise

Based on Theory of Usage and Gratification of social network and The Dual-systems Model of Self-control, 1236 adolescents were selected as subjects, and the Smartphone Addiction Scale, Dual-System Scale of Self-Control, Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 and Perceived Stress Scale were tested twice at one-year intervals to explore the relationship between mobile phone addiction and adolescents’ perceived stress and its mechanism of action. The results found that: (1) Mobile phone addiction can positively predict adolescents’ perceived stress. (2) Impulse system and control system play a mediating role in the relationship between mobile phone addiction and adolescents’ perceived stress; Adolescent mobile phone addiction enhances perceived stress by increasing the impulse system and decreasing the control system. (3) The predictive effect of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress was moderated by physical exercise, and the positive predictive effect of mobile phone addiction on adolescents’ perceived stress was only present at low levels of physical exercise. The findings highlight control systems and physical activity as protective factors against the influence of mobile phone addiction on perceived stress in adolescents and have practical implications for stress intervention in adolescents.