Integrating physical, emotional, and social changes to examine their associations with self-efficacy among college students engaging in physical activity

Abstract Introduction College students face increasing physical and psychological challenges, and the multidimensional association between physical activity and well-being warrants clarification. This study tested an integrative model linking physical activity to perceived physical, emotional, and social relationship changes and self-efficacy, and examined variation by sex and training time. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,082 full-time university students in China (inclusion: basic engagement in physical activity; exclusion: major physical or mental illness). Validated questionnaires were used to assess physical activity, self-efficacy, health status, and well-being, together with study-developed subscales for perceived physical, emotional, and social relationship changes. Internal consistency and construct validity were evaluated in the study sample, and the intended measurement structure was supported. Correlation analyses and structural equation modelling (SPSS/AMOS) examined model-based associations and moderation by sex and training time. This study was approved by the institutional ethics committee, and informed consent was obtained from all participants. Results Perceived physical, emotional, and social relationship changes were positively associated with self-efficacy; perceived emotional changes correlated strongly with perceived physical changes (r = 0.843, p < 0.01). In structural equation modelling, perceived emotional changes were positioned between perceived physical changes and downstream social relationship changes and self-efficacy, consistent with an indirect association pattern. Sex differences were observed for social relationship changes and self-efficacy, and training time moderated selected paths. Conclusion Physical activity–related variables were associated with an interconnected physical–emotional–social pattern linked to self-efficacy, with variation by sex and training time. These findings should be interpreted as model-based associations; longitudinal or experimental studies are needed to establish temporal ordering and causal mechanisms. Graphical Abstract Multi-dimensional Pathways of WB Shaped by PA through Exercise Cognition and Training Duration