The relationship between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence in college students: the chain mediating of self-control and social adaptability

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the mediating effects of self-control and social adaptability on the association between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence among college students. In January 2025, a total of 600 college students in Hubei Province were selected by a combination of quota sampling and convenience sampling method to conduct a questionnaire survey using Physical Exercise Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), Self-control Scale (SCS), Social Adaptability Diagnostic Scale (SADS), and Smartphone Addiction Scale for Chinese Adults (SAS-CA). The correlation between physical exercise, self-control, social adaptability, and mobile phone dependence was evaluated through Pearson correlation analysis. An intermediary analysis was conducted using SPSS PROCESS model 6 to study the mediating role of self-control and social adaptability in the relationship between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence. Use path analysis to further explore the standardized path coefficients between each path. Physical exercise, self-control and social adaptability are all significantly negatively correlated with mobile phone dependence. Physical exercise, self-control, and social adaptability show a positive correlation between each pair. Self-control and social adaptability respectively play a mediating role between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence. Self-control and social adaptability jointly mediate the relationship between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence. The path coefficients for physical exercise and self-control (β = 0.18, p < 0.001) and social adaptability (β = 0.13, p < 0.001) were significant, respectively. The path coefficient between physical exercise and mobile phone dependence was not significant (β = -0.04, p > 0.05). Self-control was significantly associated with the path coefficients of social adaptability (β = 0.43, p < 0.001) and mobile phone dependence (β = -0.49, p < 0.001), respectively. The path coefficient between social adaptability and mobile phone dependence was significant (β = -0.22, p < 0.001). The relationship between college students’ physical exercise and dependence on mobile phones is closely related to their individual self-control and social adaptability. When promoting physical exercise among college students, it is essential to help them establish a habit of regular exercise and cultivate their self-control and social skills. Furthermore, during the process of college students’ physical exercise, it is important to foster their positive mental and physical states, and thereby assist them in correctly and reasonably dealing with the online world, and regulate their mobile phone usage behavior.