The influence of physical-activity level on negative emotions in college students: the chain-mediated effect of psychological resilience and coping styles

Purpose: This paper aimed to explore the influence of physical-activity level on college students’ negative emotions and its mediating effect on psychological resilience and coping style. Method: We used a questionnaire on physical-exercise levels that included scales for negative emotions, psychological resilience, and coping style to assess the psychology of 887 college students. Structural-equation modeling and the bootstrap method were used to test and analyze the mediating effect of exercise on psychological resilience and coping style. Results: (1) Physical-activity level had a significant direct predictive effect on negative emotions. (2) Physical activity positively predicted psychological resilience, which played a significant mediating role between physical activity and negative emotions, as did coping style. (3) Psychological resilience and coping style had a significant chain-mediated effect between physical-activity level and negative emotions. Conclusion: Physical-activity level (1) could significantly and positively predict negative emotions in college students, (2) could exert a simple mediating effect on these students’ negative emotions through psychological resilience and coping style, and (3) might affect negative emotions in these students through the chain-mediated effect of psychological resilience and coping style chain.