AUTHOR=Chen Yue , Yao Shu-Jun , Ma Qi-Shuai , Shao Wei , Liu Chao , Guo Ke-Lei 

TITLE=The Relationship Between Exercise Intention and Exercise Behavior of Junior School Students: An Analysis of Chain Mediating Effect

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.935264

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2022.935264

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>This study explores the relationship between exercise intention and exercise behavior and constructs a chain mediating model through the mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity.</p></sec><sec><title>Method</title><p>Through the stratified cluster sampling method, 1,573 junior school students (with an average age of 13.71 ± 0.891 years) were evaluated by the exercise intention scale, the implementation intention scale, the self-identity scale, and the physical exercise grade scale. For data analysis, the common method deviation test, Pearson correlation analysis, and Model 6 in the SPSS macro program compiled by Hayes for the chain mediating test were conducted.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>(1) There is a marked correlation between positive exercise intention and exercise behavior (<italic>r</italic> = 0.345, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and exercise intention has a significant effect on the direct path of exercise behavior (β = 0.162, <italic>t</italic> = 12.355, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (2) Exercise intention can positively predict implementation intention (β = 0.219, <italic>t</italic> = 10.006, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) and self-identity (β = 0.160, <italic>t</italic> = 16.159, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01); implementation intention can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior (β = 0.230, <italic>t</italic> = 12.742, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01),and self-identity can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior (β = 0.273, <italic>t</italic> = 7.911, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (3) Implementation intention and self-identity play a significant mediating role between exercise intention and exercise behavior. The mediating effect consists of three indirect effects: exercise intention → implementation intention → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.050), exercise intention → self-identity → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.044), and exercise intention →implementation intention → self-identity → exercise behavior (the mediating effect value is 0.017).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>(1) Exercise intention can significantly and positively predict exercise behavior. (2) Implementation intention and self-identity exert a significant mediating effect between exercise intention and exercise behavior, including the separate mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity, as well as the chain mediating effect of implementation intention and self-identity.</p></sec>