Mechanism Between Physical Activity and Academic Anxiety: Evidence from Pakistan

Sumaira Kayani, Jin Wang, Michele Biasutti, María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez, Tayyaba Kiyani and Saima Kayani
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Sumaira Kayani: Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
Jin Wang: Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
Michele Biasutti: Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, 35139 Padova, Italy
María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez: Department of Didactics of Plastic and Body Musical Expression, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaén, Spain
Tayyaba Kiyani: Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
Saima Kayani: Department of Education, Women University Azad Jammu, and Kashmir, Bagh 12500, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-17

Abstract: A plethora of research has explored the benefits of physical activities on several variables such as academic performances, quality of life, fitness, levels of stress, and depression. However, less research considered the impact of physical activity on academic anxiety, self-enhancement, and self-criticism. This study examines the influence of physical activity on academic anxiety with self-enhancement and self-criticism playing a mediating role. Data for this model has been collected by using structured questionnaires administered to 418 Pakistani university students (undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate) aged between 18 and 36 years old. Structural equation modeling through analysis of moment structures (AMOS) was applied to find that physical activity significantly reduces academic anxiety and self-criticism, and it develops self-enhancement. Further, self-enhancement was negatively associated with academic anxiety while self-criticism is directly related to academic anxiety. More importantly, self-enhancement and self-criticism partially mediated between physical activity and academic anxiety of university students in Pakistan. This research recommends governments to support physical activity programs for university students.

Keywords: physical activity; self-enhancement; self-criticism; academic anxiety; university students; multiple mediation models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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