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

ObjectiveThis 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.MethodsA stratified cluster sampling method was used to enroll 10,300 university students from W...

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Main Authors: Xin-yu Zhang, Yang-Sheng Zhang, Shan-shan Han, Garry Kuan, Hu Lou, Fan-zheng Mu, Wei-dong Zhu, Yu-peng Ye, Ya-xing Li, Shu-qiao Meng, Shuo Feng, Han Li, Zhong-lei Cui, Yao Zhang, Qing Zhang, Guang-xu Wang, Lin-lin Zhao, Bao-wei Zhou, Yong Wei, Bo Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1567576/full
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author Xin-yu Zhang
Yang-Sheng Zhang
Shan-shan Han
Shan-shan Han
Garry Kuan
Hu Lou
Fan-zheng Mu
Wei-dong Zhu
Yu-peng Ye
Ya-xing Li
Shu-qiao Meng
Shuo Feng
Han Li
Zhong-lei Cui
Yao Zhang
Qing Zhang
Guang-xu Wang
Lin-lin Zhao
Bao-wei Zhou
Yong Wei
Yong Wei
Bo Li
author_facet Xin-yu Zhang
Yang-Sheng Zhang
Shan-shan Han
Shan-shan Han
Garry Kuan
Hu Lou
Fan-zheng Mu
Wei-dong Zhu
Yu-peng Ye
Ya-xing Li
Shu-qiao Meng
Shuo Feng
Han Li
Zhong-lei Cui
Yao Zhang
Qing Zhang
Guang-xu Wang
Lin-lin Zhao
Bao-wei Zhou
Yong Wei
Yong Wei
Bo Li
author_sort Xin-yu Zhang
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveThis 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsThere 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 to −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).ConclusionLow-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.
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spelling doaj-art-accccbf9496a499aa93e7ab5577c08532025-08-20T03:53:42ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-04-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15675761567576The impact of physical activity on self-emotion management among university students in Western China: the mediating roles of self-rated health and life satisfactionXin-yu Zhang0Yang-Sheng Zhang1Shan-shan Han2Shan-shan Han3Garry Kuan4Hu Lou5Fan-zheng Mu6Wei-dong Zhu7Yu-peng Ye8Ya-xing Li9Shu-qiao Meng10Shuo Feng11Han Li12Zhong-lei Cui13Yao Zhang14Qing Zhang15Guang-xu Wang16Lin-lin Zhao17Bao-wei Zhou18Yong Wei19Yong Wei20Bo Li21Institute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaAthletic Training Academy, Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, ChinaExercise and Sports Science Programme, School of Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town, MalaysiaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Jinggangshan University, Ji'an, ChinaPhysical Education College, Shangqiu University, Shangqiu, ChinaDepartment of Physical Education, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, ChinaCollege of Physical Education, Xinyang Normal University, Xinyang, Henan, ChinaDepartment of Physical Education, Ordos Institute of Applied Technology, Ordos, China0Physical Education College of Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China1Institute of Sports and Health, Zhengzhou Shengda University, Zhengzhou, China2Department of Physical Education, Yangling Vocational and Technical College, Yangling, Shaanxi, China3College of Physical Education, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China4School of Physical Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China5School of Physical Education and Health, Changzhou Liu Guojun Vocational Technology College, Changzhou, China6Nantong Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine, Nantong Rehabilitation Hospital, Nantong, Jiangsu, China7Nantong Institute of Technology, Nantong, Jiangsu, ChinaInstitute of Sports Science, Nantong University, Nantong, ChinaObjectiveThis 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.MethodsA 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.ResultsThere 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 to −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).ConclusionLow-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.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1567576/fullphysical activityself-emotion managementself-rated healthlife satisfactionmediating effect
spellingShingle Xin-yu Zhang
Yang-Sheng Zhang
Shan-shan Han
Shan-shan Han
Garry Kuan
Hu Lou
Fan-zheng Mu
Wei-dong Zhu
Yu-peng Ye
Ya-xing Li
Shu-qiao Meng
Shuo Feng
Han Li
Zhong-lei Cui
Yao Zhang
Qing Zhang
Guang-xu Wang
Lin-lin Zhao
Bao-wei Zhou
Yong Wei
Yong Wei
Bo Li
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
Frontiers in Psychology
physical activity
self-emotion management
self-rated health
life satisfaction
mediating effect
title 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
title_full 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
title_fullStr 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
title_full_unstemmed 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
title_short 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
title_sort impact of physical activity on self emotion management among university students in western china the mediating roles of self rated health and life satisfaction
topic physical activity
self-emotion management
self-rated health
life satisfaction
mediating effect
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1567576/full
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