The relationship between physical exercise and school bullying in junior high school students: the chain mediating role of self-esteem and self-control

Objective From the perspective of physical exercise, this study explored methods to improve the issue of school bullying among middle school students and comprehensively examined the interactions and influence pathways among various variables to gain a more holistic understanding of the mechanisms through which physical exercise affected school bullying among middle school students. Methods This research employed the Physical Exercise Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, Self-Control Scale, and School Bullying Scale. Using a stratified cluster random sampling method, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 587 middle school students in Zhaoqing City, Guangdong Province, from July 8 to August 15, 2024. Results (1) Physical exercise was negatively correlated with school bullying (r = -0.20), but the direct path between physical exercise and school bullying was not significant.(2) Physical exercise was positively correlated with self-esteem and self-control; self-esteem was positively correlated with self-control and negatively correlated with school bullying; self-control was negatively correlated with school bullying. (3) Self-esteem and self-control played a significant mediating role between physical exercise and school bullying. The mediating effect consisted of three pathways: physical exercise → self-esteem → school bullying (mediating effect value − 0.02), physical exercise → self-control → school bullying (mediating effect value − 0.10), physical exercise → self-esteem → self-control → school bullying (mediating effect value − 0.04). Conclusion Physical exercise was negatively correlated with school bullying, and self-esteem was positively correlated with self-control. Self-esteem had no independent mediating effect between physical exercise and school bullying. Self-control played an independent mediating role between physical exercise and school bullying. Self-esteem and self-control played a chain mediating role between physical exercise and school bullying in junior high school students.