Shuochen Zhang, Hongbo Zhao
(1) Physical exercise is significantly positively correlated with college students' social adaptation ability; (2) Physical exercise positively predicts peer relationships, psychological resilience, and college students' social adaptation ability; peer relationships positively predict psychological resilience and college students' social adaptation ability; psychological resilience positively predicts college students' social adaptation ability; (3) Peer relationships and psychological resilience act as independent mediators between physical exercise and college students' social adaptation; (4) Peer relationships and psychological resilience act as chain mediators between physical exercise and college students' social adaptation.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the impact of physical exercise on college students' social adaptation abilities and to analyze the chained mediating effects of peer relationships and psychological resilience, thereby providing a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for college students to better enhance their social adaptation abilities.
METHODS: A convenience sampling method was used to conduct a survey of college students at selected universities in Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces in China. Data were collected using the Physical Activity Level Scale, the Social Adaptation Ability Diagnostic Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale, and the Psychological Resilience Scale. A total of 861 questionnaires were distributed, with 861 returned; of these, 802 were valid, resulting in a response rate of 93.15%. Subsequently, SPSS was used to analyze the relationships among variables, and a structural equation model was constructed using AMOS 29.0.
RESULTS: (1) Physical exercise is significantly positively correlated with college students' social adaptation ability; (2) Physical exercise positively predicts peer relationships, psychological resilience, and college students' social adaptation ability; peer relationships positively predict psychological resilience and college students' social adaptation ability; psychological resilience positively predicts college students' social adaptation ability; (3) Peer relationships and psychological resilience act as independent mediators between physical exercise and college students' social adaptation; (4) Peer relationships and psychological resilience act as chain mediators between physical exercise and college students' social adaptation.
IMPLICATIONS: Physical exercise not only has a direct positive impact on college students' social adaptation abilities, but also indirectly enhances these abilities through the chain mediation of peer relationships and psychological resilience.