The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Fitness to maintain an ideal body shape is becoming increasingly popular among college students. However, it also leads to many mental health issues. This study explores the pathways through which negative body image affects depression in college students. It also examines possib...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | BMC Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21350-1 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832585311452921856 |
|---|---|
| author | Ye Yuan Yanling Tu Yuqi Su Lei Jin Yu Tian Xuesong Chang Ke Yang Haiyun Xu Junyi Zheng Daili Wu |
| author_facet | Ye Yuan Yanling Tu Yuqi Su Lei Jin Yu Tian Xuesong Chang Ke Yang Haiyun Xu Junyi Zheng Daili Wu |
| author_sort | Ye Yuan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Fitness to maintain an ideal body shape is becoming increasingly popular among college students. However, it also leads to many mental health issues. This study explores the pathways through which negative body image affects depression in college students. It also examines possible means of implementing depression interventions in college populations through the mediating roles of self-efficacy and physical activity, and the moderating role of social support. Method The present study employed a convenience sampling method to collect data from 600 university students using the Body Image Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Physical Activity Scale, General Social Support Scale and Depression Self-Rating Scale. Data analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted using SPSS, M-plus and R software. Result The result indicate that negative body image is positively correlated with depression. Self-efficacy and physical exercise play a chain mediating role between body image and depression. Additionally, social support moderates the effects of self-efficacy by predicting the pathway through which physical activity effects depression. Conclusion The study suggest that individuals with a negative body image are more prone to depression and that physical exercise can help alleviate their depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy is an important mediator, and social support moderates adherence to physical exercise. Therefore, attention should be paid to the mental health issues of college students with negative body images. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b9a13f4229c5499a8309dd9f15b0771f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-b9a13f4229c5499a8309dd9f15b0771f2025-01-26T12:56:05ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-01-0125111010.1186/s12889-025-21350-1The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional studyYe Yuan0Yanling Tu1Yuqi Su2Lei Jin3Yu Tian4Xuesong Chang5Ke Yang6Haiyun Xu7Junyi Zheng8Daili Wu9School of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversityThe First School of Medicine (School of Information and Engineering), The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversityGuangxi Health Science CollegeSichuan Nanchong Mental Health Center, Nanchong Second People’s HospitalSchool of Mental Health, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Medical Humanities and Management, Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical UniversityAbstract Background Fitness to maintain an ideal body shape is becoming increasingly popular among college students. However, it also leads to many mental health issues. This study explores the pathways through which negative body image affects depression in college students. It also examines possible means of implementing depression interventions in college populations through the mediating roles of self-efficacy and physical activity, and the moderating role of social support. Method The present study employed a convenience sampling method to collect data from 600 university students using the Body Image Scale, Self-Efficacy Scale, Physical Activity Scale, General Social Support Scale and Depression Self-Rating Scale. Data analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted using SPSS, M-plus and R software. Result The result indicate that negative body image is positively correlated with depression. Self-efficacy and physical exercise play a chain mediating role between body image and depression. Additionally, social support moderates the effects of self-efficacy by predicting the pathway through which physical activity effects depression. Conclusion The study suggest that individuals with a negative body image are more prone to depression and that physical exercise can help alleviate their depressive symptoms. Self-efficacy is an important mediator, and social support moderates adherence to physical exercise. Therefore, attention should be paid to the mental health issues of college students with negative body images.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21350-1Body imageDepressionPhysical activitySelf-efficacySocial support |
| spellingShingle | Ye Yuan Yanling Tu Yuqi Su Lei Jin Yu Tian Xuesong Chang Ke Yang Haiyun Xu Junyi Zheng Daili Wu The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study BMC Public Health Body image Depression Physical activity Self-efficacy Social support |
| title | The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | The mediating effect of self-efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | mediating effect of self efficacy and physical activity with the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between negative body image and depression among chinese college students a cross sectional study |
| topic | Body image Depression Physical activity Self-efficacy Social support |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-21350-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yeyuan themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yanlingtu themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yuqisu themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT leijin themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yutian themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT xuesongchang themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT keyang themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT haiyunxu themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT junyizheng themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT dailiwu themediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yeyuan mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yanlingtu mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yuqisu mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT leijin mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yutian mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT xuesongchang mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT keyang mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT haiyunxu mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT junyizheng mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT dailiwu mediatingeffectofselfefficacyandphysicalactivitywiththemoderatingeffectofsocialsupportontherelationshipbetweennegativebodyimageanddepressionamongchinesecollegestudentsacrosssectionalstudy |