Open Access

ARTICLE

Physical exercise and mental health in college students: The chain mediating role of peer relationships and self-esteem

Zehui Zhou¹, Juan Song^2,*, Kelei Guo^1,*

1 School of Physical Education and Health, College of Physical Education, Zhaoqing University, Zhaoqing, 526061, China
2 School of Media and Arts, Tianjin University of Sport, Tianjin, 300381, China

* Corresponding Authors: Juan Song. Email: ; Kelei Guo. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(5), 689-694. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.066954

Received 22 April 2025; Accepted 16 September 2025; Issue published 24 October 2025

Abstract

This study explored the relationship between physical exercise and college students’ mental health, as well as the mediating role of peer relationships and self-esteem. Participants were 1513 undergraduate students (first to fourth year) from six universities in Guangdong Province, China. They completed the Physical Exercise Scale, College Student Mental Health Scale, Peer Relationship Scale, and Self-Esteem Scale. The results following correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and the bias-corrected percentile bootstrap method indicated. (1) Physical exercise was positively correlated with the mental health of college students and the direct path was significant; (2) Physical exercise and peer relationships were positively correlated and self-esteem. Peer relationships were positively correlated with self-esteem and mental health. Self-esteem was positively correlated with the mental health of college students; (3) Peer relationships and self-esteem played significant mediating roles between physical exercise and college students’ mental health. The mediating effects consisted of three pathways: physical exercise → peer relationships → mental health, physical exercise → self-esteem → mental health, and physical exercise → peer relationships → self-esteem → mental health. Physical exercise can not only directly predict the mental health of college students, but also indirectly predict the mental health of college students through the independent and chain intermediaries of peer relationships and self-esteem.

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Keywords

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