Unpacking the Dynamics Between Basic Psychological Need Frustration and Short Video Addiction: Evidence From a Longitudinal Study and a Daily Diary Investigation

ABSTRACT Introduction Short video addiction (SVA) has emerged as a prominent mental health concern among young adults, while its dynamic relationship with basic psychological need frustration (BPNF) remains insufficiently understood. Methods Drawing on self‐determination theory, the present study examined the bidirectional associations between BPNF and SVA at both trait and state levels. Study 1 employed a three‐wave longitudinal design with a total of 7682 college students aged 16–25 years (50.8% female; M age = 18.03 years, SD = 0.86) assessed at 6‐month intervals. Study 2 adopted a daily diary design with 115 participants aged 17–27 years (69.6% female; M age = 20.15 years, SD = 2.24) to examine the day‐to‐day interrelation between state BPNF and state SVA. Results Cross‐lagged analyses indicated a bidirectional relationship between BPNF and SVA at the between‐person level, with BPNF exhibiting a stronger predictive effect on SVA. Dynamic structural equation modeling revealed a unidirectional association at the within‐person level, whereby daily SVA predicted subsequent increases in BPNF, but not vice versa. Conclusions These findings suggest that while SVA serves as a more immediate motivational driver of psychological needs in daily life, the detrimental effects of BPNF on excessive short video use may accumulate more gradually over time. This study advances a more nuanced understanding of the reciprocal cycle between BPNF and SVA, offering important implications for multilevel intervention strategies.