Longitudinal associations between physical activity and negative emotions among college students: the chain mediating roles of exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience

Objective This study examined the longitudinal association between physical activity and negative emotions among Chinese college students and tested the chain mediating roles of exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience. Methods A three-wave longitudinal study was conducted over 1 year among students from two universities in Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, China. The final analytic sample included 877 college students. Physical activity and baseline negative emotions were assessed at Time 1, exercise self-efficacy at Time 2, and psychological resilience and negative emotions at Time 3. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlations, and chain mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 and the PROCESS macro. Gender, grade, and baseline negative emotions were controlled. Results After controlling for covariates, T1 physical activity was negatively associated with T3 negative emotions, β = −0.192, p < 0.001. T1 physical activity was positively associated with T2 exercise self-efficacy, β = 0.355, p < 0.001, and T3 psychological resilience, β = 0.210, p < 0.001. T2 exercise self-efficacy was positively associated with T3 psychological resilience, β = 0.225, p < 0.001, and negatively associated with T3 negative emotions, β = −0.173, p < 0.001. T3 psychological resilience was also negatively associated with T3 negative emotions, β = −0.105, p < 0.01. The total indirect association was significant, effect = −0.092, 95% CI [−0.121, −0.065], as was the sequential indirect association involving T2 exercise self-efficacy and T3 psychological resilience, effect = −0.008, 95% CI [−0.015, −0.003]. Conclusion Physical activity was associated with lower negative emotions among college students, partly through higher exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience. These findings provide longitudinal evidence for university-based mental health promotion through physical activity.