ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1533097
This article is part of the Research TopicPsychological Factors in Physical Education and Sport - Volume VView all 37 articles
The relationship between peer relationships and exercise self-efficacy among college students: the mediating role of physical activity commitment
Provisionally accepted
- Nanjing Institute of Technology Industrial Center, Qixia, China
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Purpose: This study investigates the correlation between peer relationships and exercise self-efficacy among college students and examines the mediating role of physical activity inputs. These findings aim to enhance college students' physical activity levels and promote their overall physical and mental well-being.The Peer Relationship Scale, Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale, and Physical Activity Behavioral Intention Scale were used to administer the questionnaire to 514 university students on 12 July 2024.(1) There was no gender difference in peer relationships among college students (p > 0.05), but there was a gender difference in exercise self-efficacy and physical activity commitment (p < 0.05), which was shown to be higher for male than female students; (2) Peer relationships were positively correlated with exercise self-efficacy (r=0.832, p<0.05), peer relationships were positively correlated with physical activity commitment (r=0.743, p<0.05), and exercise self-efficacy was positively correlated with physical activity commitment (r=0.758, p<0.05); (3) The direct effect of college students' peer relationships on exercise self-efficacy was significant, with an effect size of 74.26%, and (4) the mediating effect of physical activity investment between college students' peer relationships and exercise self-efficacy was significant, with an effect size of 25.74%.(1) There is a close relationship between college students' peer relationships, exercise self-efficacy and physical activity input; (2) peer relationships are an important influence on college students' exercise self-efficacy, and at the same time, they can have an indirect effect on exercise self-efficacy through the pathway of action of physical activity input.
Keywords: College student population 1, peer relationships 2, exercise self-efficacy 3, physical activity engagement4, mediating role 5
Received: 23 Nov 2024; Accepted: 07 Jul 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Bao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Han Bao, Nanjing Institute of Technology Industrial Center, Qixia, China
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