The relationship between physical activity and school adjustment in high school students: the chain mediating role of psychological resilience and self-control

Abstract

Background Adaptive elements such as learning and interpersonal interactions of high school students need to be developed in the school environment. Thus, school adjustment is an essential developmental task in the academic growth of adolescent students. The present study was guided by the resource conservation theory and the power model of self-control and aimed to investigate the chain-mediated roles of psychological resilience and self-control in the physical activity and school adjustment of high school students. Methods The study utilized whole population sampling and selected 2054 first- and second-year students from eight high schools in four regions of Jiangsu Province (M=16.45 years, SD=0.72 years). The questionnaires included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-S), Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS), Self-Control Scale (SCS), and School Adjustment Scale for High School Students. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Process 4.0 macros for mediation modeling. Results The direct and indirect effects of physical activity on high school students' school adjustment were significant, and the indirect effects included three pathways: first, the separate mediating effect of psychological resilience; second, the separate mediating effect of self-control; and third, the chain mediating effect of psychological resilience and self-control. Conclusion The study's results revealed the relationship and mechanism of action of physical activity on high school students' school adjustment, which provides essential theoretical and reference value for improving their school adjustment.