The mediating role of physical activity in the causal relationship between cyberspace addiction and mental health in athletes

Today, it is noticed that exercise is effective in promoting mental health in addition to physical health (Boelens et al, 2022). Performing sports activities is so important that the World Health Organization chose the slogan "Movement is the key to health" in 2002 (Creese, 2021). Gymnastics is one of the basic, ranked sports activities and it is very important for teenagers. The lack of evidence regarding some social harms, including cyberspace addiction and mental health on athletes and non-athletes, has caused some of the positive and negative functions of sports to be unclear for teenagers. This problem has caused the development of sports in order to manage social harms and some negative points of sports in the occurrence of negative phenomena in society. Therefore, there are ambiguities regarding the role of sports in the current atmosphere of society, which disrupts the planning process. So The present research was designed and implemented with the aim of role the mediating of physical activity in the causal relationship between cyberspace addiction and mental health of gymnastic athletes in sports clubs in Karaj.

The current research method is descriptive-correlation type and the statistical population includes gymnastic athletes of Karaj sports clubs, according to the latest inquiry from the Karaj gymnastics team, 541 people were active and had sports insurance cards, and according to Morgan's sample size formula, the number 225 people were considered as a statistical sample. Non-random sampling method was available. After distributing and collecting the research questionnaires, 217 questionnaires were analyzed. The tools of this research were the standard questionnaires of internet addiction by Kimberly Young (1988), physical activity of sit-in (2013), mental health by Goldberg (1972). In this study, the test of regression coefficient and structural equations was used using Spss26 and Pls smart third version software.

In examining the effect of variables based on the results of path analysis, it was found that addiction to virtual space with a coefficient of -0.13 and (T-Value = 2.111) has a negative and significant effect on mental health, physical activity with a coefficient of 0.23 (T-Value = 4.521). Value=) has a positive and significant effect on mental health and cyberspace addiction with a coefficient of -0.28 (T-Value=5.847) has a negative and significant effect on physical activity. Also, the results of the Sobel test to investigate the mediating effect of the physical activity variable showed that the physical activity variable has a significant effect on mental health in relation to cyberspace addiction, and the mediating relationship was confirmed. Also, the variance inclusion index (VAF) showed that the indirect effect of cyberspace addiction through physical activity on mental health is -0.26%. which shows the partial negative mediation of physical activity variable between cyberspace addiction and mental health.

The results of this research showed that addiction to virtual space has a negative and significant effect on physical activity, which is consistent with the research results (Creese, 2021). If the athletes who are addicted to using virtual space have a low level of participation in physical activities. The results of this research show the need for intervention and training in the mentioned areas with the aim of reducing the amount of addiction to cyberspace in teenagers. The results of the research showed that physical activity plays a mediating role in the causal relationship between cyberspace addiction and the mental health of gymnastic athletes in sports clubs, and the current research model has a favorable fit.Addiction to virtual space due to the reduction of free time and not enjoying sports entertainment instead of virtual entertainment, lack of energy and lack of motivation due to mental disorders and changing people's lifestyle to inactive mode, so that the amount and level of physical activity of people are affected. In general, physical activity can be used as a tool to improve the level of physical and mental health of people to deal with cyberspace addiction and its adverse effects.Therefore, proper preventive measures such as educating the general public about safe use of the Internet as well as counseling for people who are addicted to the Internet are necessary. It is suggested that in programs to improve the status of athletes using virtual space and optimizing these spaces; Try to make use of sports capacities; He tried to improve this use among athletes to provide the basis for improving their mental health. Also, assessing the needs of sports activities among gymnasts according to their level and ability while improving their physical activity status; It provides conditions to improve their mental health.* Corresponding author's e-mail address: najafnejad.sima@gmail.com