The Relationship between Physical Exercise and Negative Emotions in College Students in the Post-Epidemic Era: The Mediating Role of Emotion Regulation Self-Efficacy

Shaohua Tang, Hanwen Chen, Lingzhi Wang, Tianci Lu and Jun Yan ()
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Shaohua Tang: College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Hanwen Chen: College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Lingzhi Wang: College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Tianci Lu: College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China
Jun Yan: College of Physical Education, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 19, 1-9

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and negative emotions among college students in the post-epidemic era and determine if emotional regulation plays a mediating role between physical activity and negative emotions. Methods: 479 college students (293 males, 186 females, M = 19.94, SD = 1.25) who were under closed campus management during the epidemic period were surveyed using the physical activity rating scale (PARS-3), the self-assessment scale for anxiety (SAS), the self-esteem scale for depression (SDS), and the emotion regulation self-efficacy scale (RES). Results: (1) Physical activity, negative emotions, and emotion regulation self-efficacy among college students were significantly different by gender ( p < 0.01). (2) Physical exercise was negatively correlated with anxiety and depression (r = −0.236, p < 0.01; r = −0.198, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with emotion regulation self-efficacy (r = 0.256, p < 0.01) in college students. (3) Emotion regulation self-efficacy was negatively correlated with anxiety and depression (r = −0.440, p < 0.01; r = −0.163, p < 0.01). (4) Emotion regulation self-efficacy also partially mediated the relationship between physical activity and negative emotions. Conclusion: (1) Physical activity in the post-epidemic era negatively predicted anxiety and depression in school-isolated college students. (2) Emotion regulation self-efficacy in the post-epidemic era partially mediates the relationship between physical activity and anxiety and depression.

Keywords: physical activity; negative emotions; anxiety; depression; emotion regulation self-efficacy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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