Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students

Abstract Physical and psychological abuse (physical-psychological abuse) can easily cause individual’s future social network sites addiction (SNSA), and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms between the two need to be further explored. This study took physical-psychological abuse as the indepe...

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Main Authors: Wenjie Jia, Xin Zhang, Yuanyuan Ma, Guiling Yan, Yiyi Chen, Yang Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02578-8
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author Wenjie Jia
Xin Zhang
Yuanyuan Ma
Guiling Yan
Yiyi Chen
Yang Liu
author_facet Wenjie Jia
Xin Zhang
Yuanyuan Ma
Guiling Yan
Yiyi Chen
Yang Liu
author_sort Wenjie Jia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Physical and psychological abuse (physical-psychological abuse) can easily cause individual’s future social network sites addiction (SNSA), and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms between the two need to be further explored. This study took physical-psychological abuse as the independent variable. SNSA as dependent variable to explore the relationship between the two and the intermediary variable adjustment. In March 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in universities of seven provincial administrative units in China, and a total of 1484 (804 males; 680 females) valid data were collected. Data on physical-psychological abuse, SNSA, depression and physical exercise were collected. These variables were subsequently correlated and a moderated mediation model was constructed. The results showed that the physical-psychological abuse positively predicted SNSA in college students, and mediated through the depression. In addition, the predictive effect between physical-psychological abuse and depression in college students could be moderated by physical exercise. This study further explored the association between physical-psychological abuse and SNSA in college students, considering the mediating effect of depression and the moderating effect of physical exercise. The results suggest that college students who have experienced physical-psychological abuse should pay attention to the use of social network sites, and can alleviate the negative results caused by physical-psychological abuse through active physical exercise.
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issn 2045-2322
language English
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spelling doaj-art-e7695645209d4772bc713b3f385c9fe62025-08-20T01:53:12ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-011511910.1038/s41598-025-02578-8Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college studentsWenjie Jia0Xin Zhang1Yuanyuan Ma2Guiling Yan3Yiyi Chen4Yang Liu5Shandong Huayu University of TechnologyShanxi UniversityJishou UniversityShandong Huayu University of TechnologyJishou UniversityJishou UniversityAbstract Physical and psychological abuse (physical-psychological abuse) can easily cause individual’s future social network sites addiction (SNSA), and the psychological and behavioral mechanisms between the two need to be further explored. This study took physical-psychological abuse as the independent variable. SNSA as dependent variable to explore the relationship between the two and the intermediary variable adjustment. In March 2024, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in universities of seven provincial administrative units in China, and a total of 1484 (804 males; 680 females) valid data were collected. Data on physical-psychological abuse, SNSA, depression and physical exercise were collected. These variables were subsequently correlated and a moderated mediation model was constructed. The results showed that the physical-psychological abuse positively predicted SNSA in college students, and mediated through the depression. In addition, the predictive effect between physical-psychological abuse and depression in college students could be moderated by physical exercise. This study further explored the association between physical-psychological abuse and SNSA in college students, considering the mediating effect of depression and the moderating effect of physical exercise. The results suggest that college students who have experienced physical-psychological abuse should pay attention to the use of social network sites, and can alleviate the negative results caused by physical-psychological abuse through active physical exercise.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02578-8Physical abusePsychological abuseSocial network sites addictionDepressionPhysical exercise
spellingShingle Wenjie Jia
Xin Zhang
Yuanyuan Ma
Guiling Yan
Yiyi Chen
Yang Liu
Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
Scientific Reports
Physical abuse
Psychological abuse
Social network sites addiction
Depression
Physical exercise
title Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
title_full Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
title_fullStr Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
title_full_unstemmed Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
title_short Physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
title_sort physical exercise moderates the mediating effect of depression between physical and psychological abuse in childhood and social network addiction in college students
topic Physical abuse
Psychological abuse
Social network sites addiction
Depression
Physical exercise
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-02578-8
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