AUTHOR=Yan Hao-Ming , Huang Ping , Chen Rui , Wang Yi-Cheng 

TITLE=The relationship between physical activity and mental health of middle school students: the chain mediating role of negative emotions and self-efficacy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1415448

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1415448

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>To explore the relationship between mental health and physical activity (PA) in middle school students, and examining the roles of negative emotions and self-efficacy in the relationship.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>Data from 1,134 Chinese middle school students (50.2% females, 49.8% males; <italic>M</italic><sub>age</sub> = 15.18, SD<sub>age</sub> = 2.00) were collected using the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Middle School Student Mental Health Scale (MSSMHS).</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>(1) There is a significant positive correlation between PA and mental health (<italic>r</italic> = 0.16, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and the direct path of PA on mental health is significant (<italic>t</italic> = 2.101, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (2) PA negatively predicts negative emotions (<italic>r</italic> = −0.12, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01), and is significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy (<italic>r</italic> = 0.24, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Negative emotions negatively predict self-efficacy (<italic>r</italic> = −0.23, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01) and mental health (<italic>r</italic> = −0.67, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). Self-efficacy positively predicts mental health (<italic>r</italic> = 0.30, <italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.01). (3) Negative emotions and self-efficacy play a significant mediating role between PA and mental health. The mediating effect includes three paths: PA → negative emotion → mental health (effect value: 0.130); PA → self-efficacy → mental health (effect size: 0.052); PA → negative emotions → self-efficacy → mental health (effect size: 0.006).</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>PA among middle school students can indirectly affect mental health through negative emotions and self-efficacy. Middle school students should be encouraged to participate in PA to reduce their negative emotions and increase their self-efficacy, thus improving their mental health.</p></sec>