Multivariate Structural Equation Modeling of the Influence of Screen Time on Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement Among Students

Abstract

Introduction: Screen time plays a critical role in students’ life impacting their physical fitness and academic achievement is the ubiquitous contemporary concern that covers all nationalities irrespective of race, ethnicity and socio-economic status. Exploring the direct effects and their cause and effect individual studies have shown their linear effects and impacts, the review of literature shows a gap in multivariate modeling of the variables which requires the path analysis as well studying the direct and indirect effects simultaneously. Objectives: The present study was conceptualized with hybrid experimental design coupled with Sequential equation modeling. Methods: The research design showed its fitness for the study through the fit indices of the model. The sample was drawn from 40 girls’ students in the age group of 15-17 and assigned to experimental and control group using random number table. During pre-test data collection screen time data was collected from the sample as self-reporting data and was used as baseline data at analysis and though it was the independent variable as the structural equation modeling allowed the intervention through Fartlek training and no manipulation of screen time and the same was not measured for post-test. The intervention was given to the experimental group through Fartlek training for a period of 40 min/day for six weeks duration. The interventional protocol consists of warm-up 10 min Speed play with Intervals of varying intensities of Moderate run, Fast run, Slow jog, Sprint, Moderate run, Sprint, Jog recovery, Fast run, Sprint, Slow jog for 40 min/day. The data were collected for the variables VO₂ max, Pushups, Sit-ups, Flexibility, BMI and academic achievement adopting due standard procedures aligned with directions of Committee on Publication ethics (COPE). Results: Descriptive statistics shows the status of the groups of between groups and within group in Pre-test and Post-test to elucidate effectiveness of the intervention. The independent t test shows the between group effectiveness in post-test. The experimental group significantly stands better than the control group in VO₂Max, push-ups, sit ups, flexibility and academic achievement. Yet the BMI is not significant between the groups but showed and improvement within the group level. The paired t test at p<0.01 shows that both the groups have attained statistically significant improvement. The higher t values of experimental group show the effect strength. The Pearson matrix showed the meaningful pattern of relationship among the variables, it shows two Positive performances cluster VO₂Max, push-ups, sit ups, flexibility and academic achievement. Negative performance cluster includes Screen time and partially BMI. Conclusion: The direct effects and indirect effects were studied comprehensively with structural equation modeling. The direct effect of model stands with (β =.-.38) whereas the indirect effects exerted strong impact on academic achievement with (β =-.738), mediation shows that physical fitness is the primary mediator and BMI is the secondary mediator.

Article history: Received 2026 May 12; Revised 2026 June 28; Accepted 2026 June 29; Available online 2026 June 30; Available print 2026 July 30