A Study on the Impact of Physical Exercise on University Students' Social Adaptability: The Mediating Role of Exercise Self-Efficacy and Psychological Resilience

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Survival, adaptation, and development are the three fundamental tasks throughout the biological life course. If adaptation is the key to the natural survival of organisms in the course of evolution, then social adaptation is the key to human survival in modern society. This study aims to clarify the connotations and structural dimensions of four core concepts—physical exercise, social adaptability, exercise self-efficacy, and psychological resilience—among contemporary university students. It seeks to develop a scale applicable to general universities in China. Through an in-depth analysis of the impact of physical exercise on university students' social adaptability and the mediating effects of exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience in the relationship between physical exercise and social adaptability, the study ultimately proposes feasible recommendations and empirical references for enhancing the social adaptability of Chinese university students, rooted in the context of physical education in Chinese universities. This study uses independent sample t-test, ANOVA, factor analysis, Pearson correlation analysis, regression analysis, structural equation modeling and other analytical methods, based on summarizing the existing literature and related theories, to conduct an empirical investigation with college students of Hunan College of Environmental Biology and Vocational Technology as the object of the survey, to construct the relationship between the four variables of the study, and to put forward the seven research hypotheses. Based on the analysis of Social Adaptation Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, Theory of Exercise Psychology, and previous studies, this research first divides the dimensions of social adaptability into Psychological Adaptation, Interpersonal Adaptation, and Environmental Adaptation. The dimensions of physical exercise are categorized into Exercise Perceptions, Exercise Habits, and Exercise Intentions. The dimensions of exercise self-efficacy are divided into Physical Confidence and Mental Confidence, while the dimensions of psychological resilience are categorized into Perseverance, Facing Challenges, and Positive Optimism. Secondly, this study, grounded in relevant theories and previous research, developed scales for measuring social adaptability, physical exercise, exercise self-efficacy, and psychological resilience tailored for university students in China. Finally, it constructs the relationships among social adaptability, physical exercise, exercise self-efficacy, and psychological resilience. By introducing exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience as mediating variables in the relationship between physical exercise and university students' social adaptability, the study addresses gaps in previous research, which largely focused on the relationships between two variables without exploring the logical relationships among all four variables. The findings of the study show that exercise cognition, exercise habits and exercise intention all have a significant positive effect on the social adaptability of college students. This suggests that all three dimensions of physical activity are conducive to improving college students' social adjustment. Exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience play a significant mediating role in the relationship between physical exercise and social adaptability indicating that exercise self-efficacy and psychological resilience also have an important influence on social adaptability which is a research variable that needs to be emphasized to improve the social Adaptability ability of college students. This study thoroughly explores the relationship between physical exercise and university students' social adaptability, assisting students in building positive interpersonal relationships, fostering a positive psychological state, and developing their ability to adapt to different environments. It provides empirical references and specific recommendations for enhancing the social adaptability of Chinese university students. Keywords: College students, Social adaptability, Physical Exercise, Exercise self-efficacy, Psychological resilience.

목차 (Table of Contents)

• I. Introduction1
• 1. Research Necessity 1
• 2. Research Purpose12
• 3. Research Questions 13
• II. Theoretical Background14
• 1. The Current Situation and Performance Characteristics of
• Research on Social Adaptability of Chinese College Students 14
• 1) Current Research Status on the Social Adaptability of Chinese
• University Students 15
• 2) Performance Characteristics of Chinese College Students'
• Social Adaptability Ability19
• 2. Theoretical Basis 25
• 1) Social Adaptability Theory25
• 2) Social Cognitive Theory (SCT)28
• 3) Theory of Exercise Psychology 31
• 3. Social Adaptubility 35
• 1) Definition 35
• 2) Dimension 43
• 3) Measurement 50
• 4) Influencing Factors52
• 4. Physical Exercise56
• 1) Definition56
• 2) Dimension 62
• 3) Measurement 66
• 5. Exercise Self-Efficacy68
• 1) Definition68
• 2) Dimension 72
• 3) Measurement 77
• 6. Psychological Resilience80
• 1) Definition80
• 2) Dimension 86
• 3) Measurement 89
• 7. Relationship Between Variables 92
• 1) Physical Exercise and Social Adaptability92
• 2) Physical Exercise and Exercise Self-Efficacy 97
• 3) Physical Exercise and Psychological Resilience101
• 4) Exercise Self-Efficacy and Social Adaptability 104
• 5) Psychological Resilience and Social Adaptability 105
• 6) Physical Exercise, Exercise Self-Efficacy and Social
• Adaptability 108
• 7) Physical Activity, Psychological Resilience and Social
• Adaptability 110
• 8) The Mediating Role of Exercise Self-Efficacy 112
• 9) The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience 114
• III. Research Methodology 118
• 1. Study Design 118
• 1) Research Process 119
• 2) Research Model 120
• 3) Research Hypothesis 121
• 2. Research Participants121
• 1) Consultation with Experts121
• 2) Pre-Survey Respondents122
• 3) Official Survey Respondents 124
• 3. Methods of Data Analysis 126
• 1) Literature Research Method126
• 2) Survey Research Method 126
• 3) Mathematical and Statistical Methods 127
• 4. Statistical Analysis Tools127
• 5. Research Tools 129
• 1) Initial Scale Design129
• 2) Content Validity Test 136
• 3) Project Differentiation Analysis 140
• 4) Initial Scale Validity Analysis 143
• 5) Initial Scale Reliability Analysis 149
• 6) Formal Scale Reliability Analysis 152
• 7) Validation Factor Analysis 153
• 8) Convergent and Discriminant Validity 156
• IV. Research Results 161
• 1. Descriptive Statistical Analysis 161
• 2. Difference Analysis163
• 1) Grade Level 163
• 2) Gender167
• 3) Sports Programs168
• 3. Correlation Analysis 172
• 4. Regression Analysis 174
• 5. Structural Equation Model Testing 178
• 1) Structural Equation Model178
• 2) Path Analysis 180
• 3) Mediating Effect Test 181
• 6. Research Hypothesis Testing182
• V. Discussion and Conclusions 183
• 1. Summary 183
• 2. Discussion 186
• 1) Constituent Dimensions 186
• 2) Differences 192
• 3) Relations 204
• 4) Direct Effects 208
• 5) Indirect Effects 212
• 3. Conclusion 215
• 4. Limitations and Suggestions 218
• 1) Limitations 218
• 2) Suggestions220
• 5. Teaching Advice on Improving Social Adaptability 222
• References232
• Appendix 1 275
• Appendix 2 285
• 국문초록290