Exercise adherence directly enhances emotional regulation and indirectly influences it through the 'sleep quality → self-efficacy' chain pathway, revealing a synergistic multi-path mechanism in Chinese college students.
Key Findings
Results
Exercise adherence exerted a significant direct positive effect on emotional regulation ability in college students.
The direct effect had a standardized coefficient of β = 0.289, accounting for 56.67% of the total effect.
Sample consisted of 8,899 Chinese college students from Henan Province selected via stratified cluster sampling.
Cross-sectional design was employed with data collected using the Exercise Adherence Scale (EAS) and Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS).
Statistical analyses were conducted using EXCEL, Mplus 8.3, and SPSS 27.0.1.
Results
Sleep quality independently mediated the relationship between exercise adherence and emotional regulation ability.
The independent mediating effect of sleep quality had a standardized coefficient of β = 0.010, accounting for 6.33% of the total effect.
Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).
This was one of two independent mediating pathways identified between exercise adherence and emotional regulation.
Results
Self-efficacy independently mediated the relationship between exercise adherence and emotional regulation ability.
The independent mediating effect of self-efficacy had a standardized coefficient of β = 0.200, accounting for 89.59% of the total effect.
Self-efficacy was measured using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES).
Self-efficacy accounted for the largest proportion of indirect effects among all mediating pathways.
Results
A significant chain mediation pathway was identified in which exercise adherence improved sleep quality, which subsequently enhanced self-efficacy, ultimately strengthening emotional regulation ability.
The chain mediation pathway (exercise adherence → sleep quality → self-efficacy → emotional regulation) had a standardized coefficient of β = 0.010, accounting for 4.52% of the total effect.
This pathway represents a sequential indirect mechanism distinct from the two independent single-mediator pathways.
The finding identifies a 'synergistic multi-path mechanism' linking exercise adherence to emotional regulation.
Results
The study identified four distinct pathways through which exercise adherence influences emotional regulation: one direct path and three indirect paths.
Direct path: exercise adherence → emotional regulation (β = 0.289, 56.67% of total effect).
Independent mediation via sleep quality (β = 0.010, 6.33% of total effect).
Independent mediation via self-efficacy (β = 0.200, 89.59% of total effect).
Chain mediation via sleep quality then self-efficacy (β = 0.010, 4.52% of total effect).
Note: the individual indirect effect percentages sum to more than the remaining 43.33% of total indirect effects, suggesting these percentages may be calculated relative to different bases in the original paper.
What This Means
This research suggests that college students who stick to regular exercise routines tend to have better emotional regulation skills — the ability to manage and process their emotions effectively. The study, which surveyed nearly 9,000 college students in China's Henan Province, found that exercise adherence benefits emotional regulation through multiple pathways simultaneously, not just through a single mechanism. The most direct path accounted for over half of the total benefit, but several indirect routes through sleep quality and self-confidence also played meaningful roles.
One particularly interesting finding is a chain reaction: regular exercise appears to improve sleep quality, and better sleep in turn boosts a person's sense of self-efficacy (their belief in their own ability to handle challenges), and that increased confidence then strengthens their emotional regulation. The strongest single indirect pathway ran through self-efficacy alone, suggesting that exercise's ability to build confidence may be especially important for emotional health.
This research suggests that exercise-based mental health programs for college students could be more effective if they also address sleep habits and help build students' sense of personal capability. Rather than treating exercise, sleep, and psychological confidence as separate issues, this study points to an interconnected system where improvements in one area can ripple through the others to benefit emotional wellbeing.
Wang G, Wang Z, Mu F, Li G, Li B. (2026). How exercise adherence affects emotion regulation in Chinese college students: The chain mediating effect of sleep quality and self-efficacy.. PloS one. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0338572