AUTHOR=Deng Jiaxin , Liu Yongfeng , Wang Tong , Li Weicheng 

TITLE=The association between physical activity and anxiety in college students: parallel mediation of life satisfaction and self-efficacy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1453892

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2024.1453892

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Objective</title><p>To explore the functions that physical activity (PA), life satisfaction, and self-efficacy have in the process of coping with anxiety among Chinese college students, and to explore the mediating role of life satisfaction and self-efficacy in this process.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>Participants were 358 college students (186 males, 172 females, mean age 20.88, SD = ±1.80). Psychosocial tests including the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), College Student Life Satisfaction Scale (CSLSS), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) were completed. Correlations between variables were calculated using Pearson’s test. The mediation model was tested using the SPSS 26.0 PROCESS macro and regression bootstrap.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>Physical activity showed a negative correlation with anxiety (<italic>β</italic> = −0.1617, <italic>p &lt; 0.001.</italic>, life satisfaction and self-efficacy played a role in the relationship between physical activity and anxiety. More importantly, physical activity was associated with anxiety through parallel mediating effects of life satisfaction and self-efficacy, with a total mediating effect of 55.34%.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>By increasing college students’ participation in physical activity, it helps to promote the growth of their life satisfaction and self-efficacy, which is the key to reducing anxiety and promoting college students’ mental health.</p></sec>