The Impact of Physical Activity on Self-Emotion Management among University Students in Western China: The Mediating Roles of Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction

Xin-yu Zhang¹Yang-sheng Zhang²Shan Han³Garry Kuan⁴Hu Lou¹Fanzheng Mu¹Weidong Zhu¹Yu-peng Ye⁵Ya-xing Li⁶ShuQiao Meng⁷Shuo Feng⁸Han Li⁹Zhong-lei Cui¹⁰Yao Zhang¹¹Qing Zhang¹²Guangxu Wang¹³Linlin Zhao¹⁴Bao-wei Zhou¹⁵Yong Wei^16*Bo Li^1*

• ¹Institute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, China
• ²School of Physical Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, China
• ³Athletic Training Academy, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China
• ⁴Exercise and Sports Science, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kelantan, Malaysia
• ⁵College of Physical Education, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, Jiangxi Province, China
• ⁶Physical Education College, Shangqiu University, Shangqiu, Henan Province, China
• ⁷Department of Physical Education, Xidian University, Xi'an, China
• ⁸School of Physical Education, Xianyang Normal University, Xianyang, Shaanxi Province, China
• ⁹Department of Physical Education, Ordos Institute of Applied Technology, Ordos, China
• ¹⁰Physical Education College of Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
• ¹¹Institute of Sports and Health, Zhengzhou Shengda University, Zhengzhou, China
• ¹²Department of Physical Education, Yangling Vocational and Technical College, Shanxi, China
• ¹³College of Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, Henan Province, China
• ¹⁴School of Physical Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
• ¹⁵School of Physical Education and Health, Changzhou Liu Guojun Vocational Technology College, Changzhou, China
• ¹⁶Nantong Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nantong Rehabilitation Hospital, Nantong, China

Objective: This study aims to investigate the impact of Physical Activity on Self-Emotional Management among university students and to verify the mediating roles of Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction.Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to enroll 10,300 university students from Western China. Questionnaires were used to collect data, which included demographic and sociological information, the Physical Activity Scale (for measuring Physical Activity), the Emotional Intelligence Scale (for measuring Self-Emotional Management), the Short-Form Health Survey (for measuring Self-Rated Health), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (for measuring Life Satisfaction). The results were statistically analyzed by using SPSS 26.0.Results: There was a positive correlation between different intensities of Physical Activity and Self-Emotional Management among university students in Western China. (p<0.001). Yet the direct predictive effect on Self-Emotional Management was not significant. Low-Intensity Physical Activity positively predicted Self-Rated Health (β=0.876, p<0.001), while Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity negatively predicted Self-Emotional Management (β=-1.500, p<0.001). Self-Rated Health positively predicted both Life Satisfaction and Self-Emotional Management (β=0.118, p<0.001; β=0.030, p<0.001), and Life Satisfaction positively predicted Self-Emotional Management (β=0.403, p<0.001). Self-Rated Health partially mediated the relationship between Low-Intensity Physical Activity/Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity and Self-Emotional Management, with effect sizes of 0.026 (95% CI: 0.002~0.052) and -0.045 (95% CI: -0.080~-0.010) respectively. The serial mediation pathway, the Low-Intensity Physical Activity/Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity→Self-Rated Health→Life Satisfaction→Self-Emotional Management was significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: Low-Intensity Physical Activity or Vigorous-Intensity Physical Activity cannot directly influence university students' Self-Emotional Management ability. Based on self-determination theory, Self-Rated Health can independently influence university students' Self-Emotional Management ability. It can also indirectly influence Self-Emotional Management by incorporating the chained mediation effect of Self-Rated Health and Life Satisfaction.