Study of Mediator Role of Emotion Regulation Difficulties in the Relationship between Behavioral Activation System and Exercise Addiction in Bodybuilding Athletes

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between behavioral activation system and exercise addiction by mediating emotional regulation difficulties. This study was of descriptive-correlational type in which 300 (181 boys and 119 girls) bodybuilding athletes of Khuy city were selected via cluster sampling, and filled out Exercise Addiction Inventory, BIS/BAS Scales, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), Pearson correlation coefficient, and structural equation modelling. The results depicted that there exists a significant and positive relationship between behavioral activation system and emotional regulation difficulties with exercise addiction. The proposed model benefits from a favorable fit with data, and behavioural activation system with direct effect (β = 0.19, p The findings of this study indicated the need to consider the behavioral activation system as a fundamental biological variable and emotional regulation difficulties as a mediator in the vulnerability of athlete’s bodybuilders in exercise addiction.