How Leisure Activities Help Adolescents Cope with Academic Stress and Depression: The Moderating Effects of Physical Activity and Smartphone Usage

Background and Purpose:
Depression is a highly prevalent mental health disorder among adolescents worldwide and has become a critical public health concern. This issue is particularly pronounced in Asian countries, including South Korea, where adolescents report higher levels of depressive symptoms compared to their Western counterparts. Academic stress is widely recognized as a key contributor to adolescent depression, especially in East Asian cultures that emphasize academic achievement. In South Korea, 50.5% of adolescents reported experiencing academic stress, significantly above the global average of 33.3%. This form of stress—driven by high parental and societal expectations—has emerged as the most significant source of psychological strain for Korean youth.

Leisure activities, as posited by the leisure buffering model, can mitigate the harmful effects of stress. However, the impact of leisure type—whether active (e.g., physical activity) or passive (e.g., smartphone use)—on the academic stress–depression link remains underexplored. This study aims to examine whether physical activity and smartphone usage moderate the relationship between academic stress and depression in adolescents.

Methods:
The study analyzed data from 920 adolescents (53.9% female, 46.1% male). Academic stress was measured using two subscales: parent-teacher expectations and self-expectations. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Demographic covariates included gender, school level, subjective socioeconomic status (SES), family structure, and academic performance. A multiple regression model was employed to examine the main effect of academic stress on depression and the moderating effects of physical activity and smartphone usage.

Results:
Adolescents with high academic stress were nearly three times more likely to show signs of depression than those with low academic stress. Regression analyses confirmed that academic stress significantly predicted higher levels of depression. However, this negative impact was meaningfully alleviated in adolescents who engaged in higher levels of physical activity. Conversely, smartphone usage did not show a buffering effect. Instead, higher smartphone use was directly associated with increased depressive symptoms, suggesting that it may serve as a risk factor when used excessively.

Conclusion and Implications:
The findings confirm that academic stress is a key risk factor for adolescent depression in Korea. Importantly, physical activity can serve as a protective mechanism, reducing the severity of depressive symptoms and buffering the effects of academic pressure. In contrast, smartphone use, while widespread, may aggravate depression when used maladaptively. These findings highlight the importance of promoting physical activity as a daily habit among adolescents. Schools, families, and communities should work together to provide supportive environments that foster active lifestyles and reduce dependency on passive leisure activities like smartphone use. Such interventions may be essential for improving adolescent mental health and resilience in high-pressure academic environments.