Online authentic self-presentation, relatedness need satisfaction, and depression among university students: the moderating role of perceived value of team sports participation in a survey of universities in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing prevalence of online social interaction, university students often experience insufficient satisfaction of their relatedness needs. Online authentic self-presentation has become a common mode of online communication among university students, and when it becomes excessive or compulsive, it may increase the risk of depression. From the perspective of perceived value of team sports participation, this study examined the mechanism through which online authentic self-presentation influences depression among university students, with a particular focus on the mediating role of relatedness needs and the moderating role of perceived value of team sports participation. METHODS: A questionnaire survey was conducted among 404 university students. Data were collected using the Online Authentic Self-Presentation Scale, the Relatedness Needs Scale, the Perceived Value of Team Sports Participation Scale, and the Depression Scale. Mediation and moderated mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. RESULTS: Online authentic self-presentation did not significantly predict depression directly, but it exerted a significant indirect effect on depression through relatedness need satisfaction. Relatedness need satisfaction played a significant mediating role in the relationship between online authentic self-presentation and depression. Perceived value of team sports participation significantly moderated both the path from online authentic self-presentation to relatedness need satisfaction and the path from relatedness need satisfaction to depression. Specifically, higher levels of perceived value of team sports participation weakened the positive predictive effect of online authentic self-presentation on relatedness need satisfaction, while strengthening the negative predictive effect of relatedness need satisfaction on depression. CONCLUSION: Online authentic self-presentation primarily influences depression among university students through relatedness need satisfaction, and perceived value of team sports participation, as an important protective factor, reshapes this process. Universities should pay greater attention to changes in students' psychological needs in digital contexts and fully leverage the positive role of perceived value of team sports participation in enhancing relatedness, promoting psychological adjustment, and preventing depression.