How physical exercise enhances life satisfaction in Chinese senior college students: mediating roles of self-efficacy and resilience

Huasen Yu; Xuening Li; Xin Yu; Liang Fusheng; Liqiang Li; Yuhang Yang; Jin Wu

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1515101

How physical exercise enhances life satisfaction in Chinese senior college students: mediating roles of self-efficacy and resilience

Front Psychol. 2025 Feb 21:16:1515101. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1515101. eCollection 2025.

Authors

Huasen Yu¹, Xuening Li², Xin Yu³, Liang Fusheng⁴, Liqiang Li⁵, Yuhang Yang⁶, Jin Wu¹

Affiliations

¹ School of Physical Education and Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Physical Education, Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China.
³ School of Physical Education, Nanchang Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China.
⁴ Department of Physical Education, Huangshan University, Huangshan, China.
⁵ School of Physical Education, Xizang Minzu University, Xianyang, China.
⁶ Department of Physical Education, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.

Abstract

Objective: This study explored the relationship between physical exercise and life satisfaction among senior college students by focusing on the mediating roles of self-efficacy and resilience, thereby providing theoretical support for the mental health benefits of physical exercise for senior students.

Methods: A survey was conducted with 600 senior students from 10 universities using the physical exercise rating, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and resilience scales. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0 for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and reliability and validity assessments. In addition, AMOS software (version 24.0) was used to construct a structural equation model to test the hypothesized pathways and the effects of potential mediating variables.

Results: There were significant positive correlations among the variables of physical exercise, life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and resilience (r = 0.11-0.62, all p < 0.01). The structural equation model revealed that resilience fully mediated the relationship between physical exercise and life satisfaction among senior students (95% CI: 0.105-0.243), while self-efficacy did not mediate this relationship (β = 0.02, p = 0.77). However, a chain mediating effect involving self-efficacy and resilience was observed between physical exercise and life satisfaction (95% CI: 0.127-0.235).

Conclusion: Enhanced physical exercise can improve self-efficacy and resilience among senior college students, thereby increasing their life satisfaction.

Keywords: life satisfaction; physical exercise; psychological resilience; self-efficacy; senior college students.