Impact of Digital Fitness Application Use on Mental Health of High School Students in Jordan

Abstract

This study interrogates the transformative potential of digital fitness applications on the mental health of Jordanian high-school students. Its primary objectives were to elucidate the motivations driving app adoption, quantify the association between recorded and actual physical-activity intensity and psychological well-being, and evaluate the moderating roles of app features and virtual community engagement. Employing a descriptive quantitative methodology, data were gathered via a rigorously validated, Likert-scale questionnaire administered to 380 students in Irbid, with reliability coefficients (Cronbach’s ?) exceeding 0.80 across all subscales. Key findings reveal that personalized workout plans and peer-support networks underpin app use, while recorded moderate-to-vigorous activity most strongly predicts reductions in anxiety and perceived stress. Actual increases in physical activity translated into enhanced concentration and relaxation, and progress-tracking dashboards emerged as the most potent adherence catalyst. Virtual community interactions yielded moderate gains in belonging and mood, with informal peer exchanges outpacing formal forums. Collectively, these insights underscore the imperative of integrating adaptive personalization, clear feedback loops, and social affordances to optimize digital interventions for adolescent mental-health resilience.