Effect of Physical Exercise on Negative Emotions in Adolescent: a Chain-Mediated Effect of Self-efficacy and Mental Toughness

Abstract

Abstract The research aims to study the effects of physical exercise on negative emotions of adolescent and the mediating role of self-efficacy and mental toughness, providing empirical references and theoretical basis for optimizing and improving the mental health of adolescent. An online questionnaire survey is conducted on 1426 adolescent (726 males and 700 females) in Chengdu, China, and the survey data are analyzed through using SPSS26.0 and AMOS24.0. The following are the results of the study: Physical exercise significantly positively predicted self-efficacy and mental toughness (β = 0.518, 0.54, P < 0.01) and significantly negatively predicted negative affect (β = -0.529, P < 0.01); both self-efficacy and mental toughness significantly negatively predicted negative affect (β = -0.591, P < 0.01; β = -0.64, P < 0.01), and self-efficacy perceptions significantly and positively predicted mental toughness (β = 0.759, P < 0.01); the mediating effect had three pathways: physical exercise → self-efficacy → negative emotions (95% CI: - 0.179 to - 0.022), physical exercise → mental toughness → negative emotions (95% CI: - 0.103 to - 0.032), physical exercise → self-efficacy → mental toughness → negative mood (95% CI: -0.329 to -0.152), with relative mediating effects accounting for 13.4%, 10.7%, and 39.3%, respectively. Therefore, self-efficacy and mental toughness play a mediating role in the influence of physical exercise on negative emotions of adolescent. Physical exercise can enhance self-efficacy and mental toughness, which in turn inhibit the generation of negative emotions and promote the physical and mental health development of adolescent.