AUTHOR=Liu Yanying , Feng Qingkun , Tong Yao , Guo Kelei 

TITLE=Effect of physical exercise on social adaptability of college students: Chain intermediary effect of social-emotional competency and self-esteem

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120925

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1120925

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objective</title><p>To explore the relationship between physical exercise and college students’ social adaptability, as well as the mediating role of social-emotional competency and self-esteem.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>One thousand two hundred thirty college students were investigated by physical exercise questionnaire, social-emotional competency scale, self-esteem scale, and social adaptability scale. Data were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation model test and deviation-corrected percentile Bootstrap method.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>(1) Physical exercise was positively correlated with social adaptability (<italic>r</italic> = 0.397, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and the direct path of physical exercise on social adaptability was significant (<italic>β</italic> = 0.397, <italic>t</italic> = 15.174, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (2) Physical exercise positively predicted social-emotional competency (<italic>β</italic> = 0.399, <italic>t</italic> = 15.235, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) and self-esteem (<italic>β</italic> = 0.305, <italic>t</italic> = 10.570, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Social-emotional competency positively predicted self-esteem (<italic>β</italic> = 0.130, <italic>t</italic> = 4.507, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) and social adaptability (<italic>β</italic> = 0.169, <italic>t</italic> = 6.104, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Self-esteem positively predicted social adaptability (<italic>β</italic> = 0.189, <italic>t</italic> = 6.957, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (3) Social-emotional competency and self-esteem play a significant mediating role between physical exercise and social adaptability. The mediating effect includes three paths: physical exercise→social-emotional competency→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.068); physical exercise→self-esteem→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.059). Physical exercise→social-emotional competency→self-esteem→social adaptability (the mediating effect value: 0.010).</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>Physical exercise can not only directly affect social adaptability of college students, but also indirectly affect social adaptability through the independent intermediary role of social-emotional competency and self-esteem. Furthermore, physical exercise also affect social adaptability through the chain mediation of social-emotional competency and self-esteem.</p></sec>