Caught in the Scroll: Emotion Regulation, Escapism, and Conscientiousness in Short-Form Video Use–Related Disruptions

Emerging social media platforms have become integral to daily life by fulfilling users’ needs for information, expression, and social connection. Short-form videos (SFVs) are especially popular among youth due to their personalized and immersive design. Research has highlighted that, in educational settings, social media–assisted instructional approaches can enhance motivation, participation, and performance; however, the abundance of non-educational content on SFV platforms may hinder students’ self-regulation and academic focus. Excessive engagement may impair concentration, increase procrastination, reduce classroom participation, and heighten stress, anxiety, and depression. Despite growing concerns on excessive SFV usage, limited attention has been given to how such consumption disrupts students’ daily functioning and the psychological mechanisms involved. Addressing this gap, the present study examines escapism as a mediator between emotion regulation difficulties (ERDs) and SFV-related functioning disruptions, and investigates conscientiousness as a moderating factor in this relationship. Data was collected from B.Tech students ( N = 303) enrolled in technical institutions across India through an online survey using standardized measures. Collected data was subjected to regression, mediation and moderation analysis using SPSS v.30 and PROCESS macro. It was found that escapism was a significant mediator in the relationship of ERDs and interference from SFV consumption and conscientiousness emerged as a moderator of the relationship between ERDs and escapism. The study provides deeper theoretical insights into the psychological drivers of SFV-related dysfunction and informs strategies for mitigating its negative academic and psychological impacts. The results can aid in designing digital well-being interventions, guiding educators and parents in fostering responsible SFV consumption among students.