Relationship between Soccer Physical Activity Enjoyment and Internet Addiction among Adolescents

A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology has explored the link between soccer physical activity enjoyment and internet addiction among adolescents. The research, conducted by researchers from Shaanxi Normal University, surveyed 579 young soccer players in Shaanxi Province, China, and found that internet addiction was negatively correlated with the enjoyment of participating in soccer. The study also revealed that soccer physical activity enjoyment predicted internet addiction through the mediation of emotional self-efficacy and athlete participation.

Key Takeaways:

• The study surveyed 579 young soccer players from 18 primary and secondary schools in Shaanxi Province, China, with 310 males, 260 females, 411 primary school students (8-12 years), and 159 junior high school students (12-15 years).
• Internet addiction was negatively correlated with the enjoyment of participating in soccer, indicating that adolescents who enjoy soccer are less likely to develop internet addiction.
• Soccer physical activity enjoyment predicted internet addiction through the mediation of emotional self-efficacy, suggesting that emotional well-being and soccer participation can mitigate the risk of internet addiction.
• The study constructed a chain mediating model with athlete participation and emotional self-efficacy as key mediating variables, providing a new understanding of the relationship between soccer physical activity enjoyment and internet addiction.

Statistics:

• 579 young soccer players were surveyed in the study, with a gender distribution of 310 males and 260 females.
• 411 primary school students (8-12 years) and 159 junior high school students (12-15 years) participated in the study.
• The study found a negative correlation between internet addiction and the enjoyment of participating in soccer, with a correlation coefficient of -0.25.
• The study also found that soccer physical activity enjoyment predicted internet addiction with a path coefficient of 0.15.

Sources:

• "Relationship between Soccer Physical Activity Enjoyment and Internet Addiction among Adolescents: The Chain Mediating Effect of Emotional Self-Efficacy and Athlete Participation" by Liang Shan et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2025, 16.
• Frontiers in Psychology, published by Frontiers Media S.A., available at http://frontiersin.org/psychology.