The mediating and moderating effects of learning engagement and physical exercise on the mobile phone addiction and academic burnout

This study was designed to explore the relationship between mobile phone addiction and academic burnout among Chinese college students. We employed the Mobile Phone Dependence Index Scale (MPDIS), Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student (UWESS), Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBISS), and Physical Exercise Rating Scale (PARS-3) to conduct a questionnaire-based survey among 700 Chinese college students. Ultimately, 677 valid questionnaires were obtained. There was a significant positive correlation between Chinese college students' mobile phone addiction and academic burnout (r = 0.40, p < 0.01), and a significant negative correlation between mobile phone addiction and learning engagement (r = -0.18, p < 0.01). Additionally, learning engagement was significantly negatively correlated with academic burnout (r = -0.57, p < 0.01). Learning engagement played a partial mediating role between mobile phone addiction and academic burnout, accounting for 20.7% of the total effect. Physical exercise also moderated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and learning engagement. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between mobile phone addiction and academic burnout. The discussion provides practical and effective recommendations for the prevention and intervention for academic burnout among Chinese college students. However, the present study is limited by its cross-sectional design and single-province sample, and future research should adopt longitudinal or multi-regional designs to further validate and extend the proposed model.