Gender‐Specific Networks in the Relationship Between Time Perspective and Short‐Form Video Addiction Among Chinese Adolescents

ABSTRACT Short‐form video addiction (SFVA) is increasingly prevalent among adolescents and closely related to time perspective, yet their associations at the symptom and dimensional levels, particularly gender differences, remain underexplored. This study applied network analysis to examine cross‐sectional and longitudinal associations between time perspective dimensions and SFVA symptoms in Chinese adolescents, with attention to gender‐specific patterns. A total of 1, 580 Chinese adolescents (55.1% female; M age = 15.86 ± 0.80 at T1) completed measures on two occasions at 6‐month intervals. Cross‐sectional network analysis showed that ‘future’ and ‘sleep interference’ were the central nodes in both male and female networks. In addition, ‘present‐fatalistic,’ ‘attentional disruption,’ and ‘social concern’ were identified as bridge nodes linking time perspective and SFVA. Cross‐lagged panel network analysis further highlighted the central roles of ‘future’. Furthermore, gender‐specific pathways also emerged. Among males, ‘loss of control’ functioned more as a driving symptom, whereas among females it was more strongly influenced by other symptoms. In girls, ‘social impairment’ and ‘attentional disruption’ were the main predictors of time‐related dimensions, whereas in boys, ‘sleep interference’ and ‘withdrawal’ symptoms played a more prominent role. These findings clarify the complex mechanisms linking time perspective and SFVA and highlight potential gender‐specific intervention targets.