Background <p>Previous studies have identified balanced time perspective as a protective factor against short-video addiction among adolescents. However, the underlying psychological mechanisms linking these two constructs remain insufficiently explored. Guided by the cognition-emotion-behavior theory, this study aimed to investigate the mediating mechanisms through which balanced time perspective influences short-video addiction.</p> Methods <p>Two studies were conducted: a cross-sectional study (Study 1, <i>N</i> = 689; 54.3% male, mean age = 14.40&#xa0;years, <i>SD</i> = 2.11) and a two-wave longitudinal study (Study 2, <i>N</i> = 470; 50.0% male, mean age = 14.23&#xa0;years, <i>SD</i> = 1.01). In Study 1, a multiple mediation model was employed to examine the mediating role of trait anxiety and ego depletion in the relationship between balanced time perspective and short-video addiction. In Study 2, a cross-lagged model was used to verify the longitudinal mediating chain involving balanced time perspective, trait anxiety, ego depletion, and short-video addiction.</p> Results <p>Findings from both studies consistently supported the proposed hypotheses. Study 1 found a serial mediation effect of trait anxiety and ego depletion (total indirect effect = -0.2159, 95% CI [-0.2771, -0.1578], 78.52% of total effect). Study 2 confirmed the longitudinal chain.</p> Conclusions <p>This study reveals a cognition-emotion-resource-behavior mechanism underlying the association between balanced time perspective and short-video addiction. It enriches the existing research on short-video addiction prevention from the perspective of time psychology and provides theoretical implications for developing targeted intervention strategies to reduce adolescent short-video addiction.</p>