Summary: As short-form video content (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) dominates social media, researchers are beginning to uncover why some people are more prone to Short Video Addiction (SVA) than others. A new study suggests that attachment anxiety—a relationship pattern rooted in the fear of abandonment—is a significant predictor of SVA.
The study identifies two “broken bridges” in the brain’s processing—attentional control and alexithymia (difficulty identifying emotions)—that drive anxious individuals to use short videos as an external emotional regulator and escape mechanism.
Key Facts
- The Emotional Anchor: High levels of attachment anxiety are directly associated with a greater risk of SVA. Individuals with this trait often struggle to regulate their own emotions internally.
- Alexithymia as a Driver: People who struggle to describe or understand their feelings (alexithymia) are significantly more likely to rely on the constant “hits” of short videos to numb negative emotions or escape mental distress.
- Attention as a Shield: The study found that attentional control is a protective factor. Even if someone has high attachment anxiety, if they have strong concentration skills, they are less likely to fall into addictive patterns.
- The Vicious Cycle: Poor attentional control often worsens alexithymia, creating a double-vulnerability that makes the high-speed, information-dense nature of short videos nearly impossible to resist.
Source: Frontiers
No matter where we turn on social media, short videos are everywhere. Repeated exposure to this brief, information-dense, and rewarding content stimulates the brain in a way that tells us the experience is pleasurable or satisfying. If indulged in too much, people may develop short video addiction (SVA), a maladaptive pattern where viewers are more prone to having difficulties regulating their short video consumption.
With the proliferation of short videos online, SVA is a growing concern as it impacts efficiency in daily life and negatively affects psychological and physical health. This makes understanding this relatively new type of addiction vital: not much is known about the psychological mechanisms that increase vulnerability.
Now, new research done in China has examined how attachment anxiety – a relationship pattern characterized by fear of abandonment which is often shaped in early childhood – contributes to SVA. The results were published in Frontiers in Psychology.
“We show that higher levels of attachment anxiety are associated with a greater risk of SVA,” said first author Haodong Su, a lecturer at the College of Humanities at Anhui Science and Technology University.
“Poorer attentional control, or control over what we choose to ignore or focus on, as well as difficulties with processing one’s own or others’ emotions can explain this relationship in part.”
Pathways to addiction
For their study, the researchers recruited 342 students aged 18 to 22 and used different scales to measure their levels of SVA, attachment anxiety, attentional control – commonly referred to as concentration – and alexithymia, a character trait characterized by difficulty identifying and describing emotions.
Previous research suggests that alexithymia is relatively common among young people, especially during key developmental stages or when confronted with stress.
The results showed that higher levels of attachment anxiety increased the likelihood of developing SVA. This susceptibility may be shaped by both attentional control and alexithymia, both mechanisms that shape emotional processing.
Previous research has shown that higher levels of attachment anxiety lead to decreased attentional control and that people with higher levels of attachment anxiety tend to exhibit more severe alexithymic traits.
When these mechanisms fail to fully regulate emotions, people may start to rely on external regulators, such as short videos, to cope with the negative effects.
“Individuals with more severe alexithymia symptoms showed significantly higher levels of SVA, indicating that having difficulties with identifying and expressing emotions may increase reliance on short videos as a form of emotional escape,” explained Su.
Poorer attentional control, which in turn often intensifies and heightens alexithymia levels, also mediated the relationship between attachment anxiety and SVA.
Protected by attention
While poor attentional control can make teens more susceptible to becoming addicted to short videos, training one’s concentration may also achieve the opposite effect and play a protective role in the development of SVA.
“Young people who are better able to regulate and sustain their attention are less likely to develop addictive patterns of short video use, even when they experience emotional difficulties such as attachment anxiety,” Su pointed out.
Small measures, like setting time limits on video consumption, scheduling designated phone-free periods, or establishing routines that encourage reflection on emotions, can be useful starting points for young adults struggling with focus or alexithymia.
“Attentional control is not a fixed ability and can be improved with practice,” said Su. “Strategies such as mindfulness training, reducing multitasking, and deliberately scheduling periods of focused activity may help strengthen attention regulation and reduce the risk of SVA.”
The researchers note that the data used in the study was self-reported by students and may be biased. The study’s cross-sectional design provides a snapshot, and the findings show associations rather than direct cause-and-effect relationships.
The sample also was gender-imbalanced, with around 72% of the participants being male. As attachment anxiety and attentional control differ by gender, future research with more balanced samples will be important to determine whether these patterns hold across genders. Studies spanning longer periods of time are also necessary to confirm the relationships identified here.
“Our findings show that strengthening attentional control and emotional awareness, rather than relying solely on restricting technology use can be effective to prevent SVA,” concluded Su. “Short video addiction is not only about screen time, but also about emotional and cognitive regulation.”
Key Questions Answered:
A: If you have “attachment anxiety,” your brain is often on high alert for social rejection or abandonment. This creates a constant underlying hum of stress. Short videos provide an instant, “easy” dopamine hit that distracts your brain from those anxious thoughts, acting as a digital security blanket.
A: Alexithymia isn’t a disease; it’s a trait where you find it hard to put your feelings into words. If you feel “bad” but can’t tell if you’re angry, sad, or just lonely, you might be using short videos to “mute” that confusing internal noise.
A: The study suggests focusing on Attentional Control. Because attention is like a muscle, you can strengthen it through mindfulness or “monotasking” (doing one thing at a time). If you can control where your focus goes, you’re less likely to be “kidnapped” by an infinite scroll.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this psychology research news
Author: Deborah Pirchner
Source: Frontiers
Contact: Deborah Pirchner – Frontiers
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“From Attachment Anxiety to Short Video Addiction: The Roles of Attentional Control and Alexithymia” by Haodong Su, Dan Luo, Hongyu Wang, Xiaodong Li, and Ye He. Frontiers in Psychology
DOI:10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1764536
Abstract
From Attachment Anxiety to Short Video Addiction: The Roles of Attentional Control and Alexithymia
Introduction:
Short video addiction is a prevalent behavioral phenomenon among young adults, but its underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Guided by attachment theory, this study examined associations between attachment anxiety, attentional control, alexithymia, and short video addiction.
Methods:
A total of 342 Chinese university students completed self-report measures assessing attachment anxiety, attentional control, alexithymia, and short video addiction. Mediation analyses were conducted to investigate the indirect associations between attachment anxiety and addictive tendencies through attentional control and alexithymia.
Results:
Attachment anxiety was positively associated with higher levels of short video addiction. Indirect associations were observed via two pathways: lower attentional control and higher alexithymia. Additionally, a sequential association was identified, whereby lower attentional control was linked to higher alexithymia, which in turn was related to stronger addictive tendencies.
Discussion:
These findings provide an integrative framework describing how attachment-related vulnerabilities relate to cognitive and emotional characteristics associated with short video addiction. The results highlight potential factors to consider in strategies aimed at preventing or addressing addictive behaviors among young adults.
