ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
The Role of Soft Skills in Academic Achievement among Physical Education Students: A Mediation Analysis
Quanhong Lu
Deke Liu
Yunmei Chai
Haipeng Yue
Song Yuan
Jingmiao Wang
Jianing Tian
Chengdu Sport University, Chengdu, China
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Abstract
This study explores the role of soft skills in academic performance among physical education students, with a focus on the mediating effects of self-management, adaptability, and social interaction. A dual-path mediation model was proposed, wherein cognitive and innovative abilities are associated with academic achievement through two mediators: self-management and adaptability, and social interaction and teamwork. A survey of 627 undergraduate physical education students was conducted, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and regression analysis. The results show that cognitive and innovative abilities are significantly related to academic performance both directly and indirectly. Specifically, self-management and adaptability, as well as social interaction and teamwork, were found to partially mediate these relationships. The findings underscore the critical role of soft skills in enhancing academic success, highlighting the indirect effect of cognitive abilities on academic performance through the development of soft skills. This study contributes to the existing literature by demonstrating the importance of soft skills in education and suggesting that educational institutions should integrate soft skills training into curricula to improve student outcomes. The implications for educational practice are discussed, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to student development that combines cognitive and non-cognitive skills to foster both academic and professional success.
Summary
Keywords
academic performance, cognitive abilities, mediation effect, Physical Education, Soft skills
Received
23 January 2026
Accepted
26 January 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Lu, Liu, Chai, Yue, Yuan, Wang and Tian. 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: Yunmei Chai; Haipeng Yue
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