The association between short video addiction and emotion dysregulation among college students: a latent profile analysis and its influencing factors

Objective This study aimed to use latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify heterogeneous configurational patterns of short video addiction and emotion dysregulation among college students, and to systematically examine the predictive effects of cognitive reappraisal, emotional loneliness, and sociodemographic factors on latent profile membership. Methods A cross-sectional survey design was employed. From April to July 2025, full-time undergraduate students were recruited from multiple universities in Shandong Province using a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling. Participants completed online questionnaires including the Short Video Addiction Scale, the Emotion Dysregulation Inventory (EDI), the Cognitive Reappraisal Scale, and the Emotional Loneliness Scale. Results A total of 1,168 valid questionnaires were obtained. LPA identified four optimal profiles: Profile 1 (“low short video addiction–low emotion dysregulation”), Profile 2 (“medium to lower short video addiction–medium to lower emotion dysregulation”), Profile 3 (“medium to upper short video addiction–medium to upper emotion dysregulation”), and Profile 4 (“high short video addiction–high emotion dysregulation”). Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that, with Profile 4 as the reference category, cognitive reappraisal significantly increased the likelihood of membership in lower-risk profiles, whereas emotional loneliness significantly decreased the likelihood of membership in lower-risk profiles. Among sociodemographic factors, being female and having an urban background significantly increased the likelihood of membership in Profile 1 (vs. Profile 4); being a non-only child and having no part-time work experience significantly predicted membership in Profile 3. Conclusion Marked heterogeneity exists among college students in the measured dimensions of short-form video addiction and emotion dysregulation, and the two constructs exhibit highly concordant co-variation. The findings provide empirical support for developing risk-stratified and precision-oriented mental health intervention strategies.