Peer interaction in physical activity programs predicts matched changes in psychological capital and social support among undergraduate students

Physical activity helps build on resources for well-being and achieve high levels of quality of life. This research aims to explore the matching associations between the types of physical activity and the types of resources for well-being, based on the matching principle. Physical activity programs with different levels of student-student interactions (i.e., shuttlecock kicking, table tennis, and baseball-and-softball from low to high interactions) are associated with resources ranging from intrapersonal (i.e., psychological capital) to interpersonal (i.e., social support). Undergraduate students (N = 137) from three types of physical activity programs participated in this research and finished pre- and post-tests for a 12-week period. The repeated ANCOVAs for this mixed design revealed significant group-by-time interactions. Specifically, participants in the lowest interactive program had a bigger improvement than the other two groups on psychological capital. Social support was reduced for participants in lower levels of interactive programs, rather than in the highest interactive program. These findings supported the matching principle and contributed to the physical activity and well-being literature.