Table Tennis Intervention Reduces Short Video Addiction 68% Through Cognitive Pathways

Short video addiction has emerged as a significant behavioral health challenge among college students, with average daily usage exceeding four hours for many young adults. A 2025 randomized controlled trial in Frontiers in Psychology found that a 16-week table tennis intervention substantially reduced addiction levels, revealing a specific cognitive mechanism behind the effect.

The Study Design

Researchers at Xihua University and Wuhan University of Technology recruited 60 college students with clinically significant short video addiction, defined as daily usage averaging at least four hours. Participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group.

The experimental group engaged in table tennis training three times per week for 16 weeks. Exercise intensity was moderate, targeting 60 to 80 percent of maximum heart rate. The control group maintained their regular activities without structured exercise intervention.

Researchers measured outcomes using validated instruments: the Short Video Addiction Scale for College Students, the Negative Cognitive Processing Bias Questionnaire, and the Self-Control Scale.

The Key Finding: 68.33% Mediated Effect

The table tennis intervention produced significant improvements across all measured domains: reduced short video addiction, decreased negative cognitive bias, and enhanced self-control. The experimental group improved significantly more than the control group.

The most critical finding emerged from mediation analysis. The researchers used the Hayes Process plugin Model 6 to test whether changes in cognitive bias and self-control accounted for the reduction in addictive behavior. The chain mediation pathway explained 68.33 percent of the total effect.

This means the physical activity of table tennis was not merely substituting for screen time. The intervention worked by reshaping cognitive processes.

The Cognitive Mechanism

The study identified a two-step chain mediation pathway:

1. Reduced negative cognitive bias: Table tennis decreased participants’ tendency to process information in negatively skewed ways
2. Enhanced self-control: This reduction in bias led to improved self-regulatory capacity
3. Reduced addictive behavior: Improved self-control directly reduced compulsive short video use

This pathway aligns with established sports psychology research on exercise and mental health. Physical activity, particularly sports requiring sustained attention and decision-making, appears to strengthen executive functions that compete with addictive behavioral patterns.

Why Table Tennis Specifically?

The researchers chose table tennis as the intervention for several reasons that distinguish it from other physical activities:

• Cognitive load: The sport demands constant visual tracking, rapid decision-making, and motor planning, engaging executive functions that are underutilized during passive screen consumption
• Social interaction: Unlike solo exercise like running, table tennis typically involves interpersonal interaction, providing social reward and reducing isolation often associated with excessive screen use
• Accessibility: The sport requires minimal equipment and space, making it feasible for widespread implementation
• Moderate intensity: The 60 to 80 percent heart rate target is achievable without discouraging participation

A 2025 multidimensional review in Healthcare found that table tennis offers combined physical, emotional, and social benefits across diverse populations. This multidimensional profile makes it uniquely suited for complex behavioral interventions like digital addiction.

The Broader Context: Exercise and Digital Addiction

This study contributes to a growing body of research on physical activity as an intervention for behavioral addictions. A 2025 study of children found that table tennis reduced stress and improved social competence, with effect sizes demonstrating practical significance.

The cognitive benefits of table tennis extend beyond addiction. A 2025 study of children found that table tennis enhanced executive function, working memory, and inhibitory control—all cognitive domains implicated in addictive behavior regulation.

Practical Implications

For colleges, universities, and mental health practitioners, these findings suggest a concrete, evidence-based intervention for short video addiction:

• Dose: 16 weeks, three sessions weekly at moderate intensity
• Duration: Each session sufficient to achieve target heart rate for sustained periods
• Structure: Coached or supervised table tennis training appears more effective than unstructured play

The 68.33 percent mediation figure indicates that cognitive mechanisms account for most, but not all, of the effect. The remaining portion may stem from other factors like improved mood, reduced sedentary time, or enhanced sleep quality—all documented benefits of regular physical activity.

Limitations and Future Directions

The study was conducted at a single Chinese university, which may limit generalizability. The 16-week duration, while substantial, does not address whether effects persist after intervention cessation. Long-term follow-up studies are needed.

The researchers did not measure specific neurobiological markers like dopamine or cortisol, which could clarify physiological mechanisms. Future research incorporating neuroimaging or biomarker analysis would strengthen understanding of how physical activity reshapes addictive pathways.

The Bottom Line

This randomized controlled trial provides strong evidence that table tennis is an effective intervention for short video addiction in college students. The effect is not incidental—it operates through a specific cognitive mechanism involving reduced negative bias and enhanced self-control, which together account for nearly 70 percent of the total benefit.

As digital addiction continues to rise worldwide, evidence-based, scalable interventions are urgently needed. Table tennis offers a promising solution that is accessible, low-cost, and completely beneficial.

Sources:

• Wang K, Sun J, Han J, Wu Z. “The impact of table tennis intervention on short video addiction among college students in China: the chained mediation effect of cognitive bias and self-control.” Frontiers in Psychology. 2025;16:1666895.
• Aparicio-Chueca P, Muñoz-Vila N. “Table Tennis for Health: A Multidimensional Perspective on Its Physical, Emotional, and Social Advantages.” Healthcare (Basel). 2025;13(18):2352.
• Liu J, et al. “Table tennis intervention improves stress and social competence in children: a 12-month prospective study.” Frontiers in Public Health. 2025;13:1644306.