Relationship Between Physical Activity And Mental Health In High School Students: Mediating Effect Of School Adaptation And Moderating Effect Of Self-control

Objectives:The purpose of this study was to understand the basic current status of physical activity,school adaptation,self-control,and mental health of high school students.Then it also aimed to delve deeper into the mediating role of school adaptation in the relationship between physical activity and mental health,and the moderating role of self-control in the relationship between physical activity,school adaptation,and mental health.By examining the relationship between physical activity,mental health,school adaptation,and self-control in high school students,this study provided a reference for preventing psychological problems and promoting their mental health in high school students.Methods:Eight general high schools(each city includes one urban high school and one rural high school)in four cities(one city in northern Jiangsu,one city in centralJiangsu,one city in southern Jiangsu,and one city in Nanjing)in Jiangsu Province were selected for the questionnaire survey.Each student filled in the International Physical Activity QuestionnaireShort-Chinese Version,the Mental Health Scale for Secondary School Students,the School Adaptation Scale for High School Students,and the Self-Control Scale.2345 questionnaires were collected on site,and 2077 valid questionnaires were collected after excluding invalid questionnaires,with an effective rate of 88.57%.Statistical analysis software SPSS 26.0,Process plug-in and AMOS 24.0 were used for data statistics and analysis in this study.Results:(1)There were gender(t=9.032,P<0.001,Cohen’s d=0.395)and geographic(F(3,2073)11.414,P<0.001,η2=0.016)differences in physical activity among high school students,with no grade differences or family type differences(P>0.05).There were gender differences in mental health(t=5.581,P<0.001,Cohen’s d=0.245),family type differences(F(2,2074)=6.813,P<0.05,η2=0.007)and geographical differences(F(3,2073)=10.157,P<0.001,η2=0.014),no grade differences(P>0.05);there were gender(t=-2.481,P<0.05,Cohen’s d=0.109)and geographical(F(3,2073)=9.321,P<0.001,η2=0.013)differences in school adaptation,no grade or family type differences(P>0.05);there were gender(t=2.758,P<0.01,Cohen’s d=0.121),home type(F(2,2074)=8.849,P<0.001,η2=0.008),and geographic differences in selfcontrol(F(3,2073)=13.531,P<0.001,η2=0.019),with no grade differences(P>0.05).(2)Physical activity and mental health(r=0.136,P<0.01),physical activity and school adaptation(r=0.109,P<0.01),physical activity and self-control(r=0.050,P<0.05),mental health and school adaptation(r=0.691,P<0.01),mental health and self-control(r=0.595,P<0.01),and school adaptation and self-control(r=0.545,P<0.01)were all significantly and positively correlated.(3)School adaptation partially mediated the relationship between physical activity and mentalhealth in high school students(Bootstrap 95%CI:0.052-0.136);(4)The product of the interaction term of physical activity and self-control was a significant negative predictor of mental health(β=-0.034,t=-2.167,P<0.05);the interaction term of physical activity and selfcontrol product on school adaptation(β=-0.002,t=-0.097,P>0.05)and the interaction term product of student adaptation and self-control on mental health(β=-0.015,t=-1.260,P>0.05)were not significant.Conclusions:(1)High school students’ physical activity positively predicted their school adaptation and mental health;(2)High school students’ physical activity indirectly acted on mental health through the mediating role of school adaptation;(3)High school students’ selfcontrol played a moderating role in the direct path of the mediating process between their physical activity and mental health,and high school students atlow levels of self-control had positive physical activity effects on mental health The positive effects of physical activity on mental health are inhibited in high school students with low levels of self-control.