From short-form video addiction to burnout: exploring the role of emotional enhancement (TikTok brain) and perceived video-attributed attentional decline through the I-PACE model.

INRODUCTION: The rapid expansion of short-form video apps like TikTok has raised concerns about how excessive use may be associated with students' cognitive functions, emotional control, and academic experiences. While previous research has documented associations between short-form video addiction, attentional difficulties, and adverse learning-related outcomes, there is still little research done on what specific mechanisms might explain the learning burnout of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. To fill this gap, the current study examines the relationship between short-form video addiction and academic burnout of EFL learners. METHODS: The theoretical framework of the I-PACE model was integrated to carry out a cross-sectional survey using validated scales with 500 Chinese undergraduates. This design tested the relationships among short-form video addiction, emotional enhancement (TikTok brain), perceived video-attributed attentional decline and English-learning burnout. RESULTS: The quantitative analysis results using SPSS and PLS-SEM suggest that short-form video addiction is positively related to TikTok brain, perceived video-attributed attentional decline, and burnout. Furthermore, TikTok brain and perceived video-attributed attentional decline mediated the association between short-form video addiction and English-learning burnout significantly. DISCUSSION: These empirical findings suggest that the relationship between short-form video addiction and EFL burnout may operate through both affective and cognitive pathways, providing insights into the relevance of the I-PACE model in the field of foreign language learning.