The Effect of Exercise Motivation on Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being: Chain Mediation of Physical Activity and Social-emotional Competency

The Effect of Exercise Motivation on Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being: Chain Mediation of Physical Activity and Social-emotional Competency | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Effect of Exercise Motivation on Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being: Chain Mediation of Physical Activity and Social-emotional Competency Kaiyi Zhang, Mingyi Liu, Nianxin Kong, Zikang Yin, Haipei Gong This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 08 May, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted 8 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objective Based on the Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the influences on adolescents’ subjective well-being and revealed the chain mediating role of physical activity and socio-emotional competence between exercise motivation and subjective well-being. Methods Motives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM-R), Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20), Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), and The Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S) were used to conduct questionnaire surveys on 1,530 junior high school students in Handan, Hebei Province. The data were statistically analyzed by using the SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 software. Results (1) There is a positive correlation between exercise motivation and subjective well-being, and the direct prediction of subjective well-being is significant; (2) Exercise motivation can indirectly influence adolescents’ subjective well-being through the partial mediation of physical activities and social-emotional competency; (3) Exercise motivation may also indirectly affects adolescents’ subjective well-being through the chain mediation of “physical activities and social-emotional competency”. Conclusion A higher EM may enhance adolescents’ level of PA and SEC, which further contributes to their SWB, which plays an important role in enhancing adolescents’ mental health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Exercise motivation Subjective well-being Physical activities Social-emotional competency Junior high school student Chain mediation Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Introduction Subjective Well-Being (SWB), an important topic in contemporary Positive Psychology [ 1 ], has become a hot topic not only in the academic field, but also in our daily life, for example, “Are you happy lately?” may appear in people’s chit-chat when come across with acquaintances. The term SWB was first proposed by Diener (1984) and was defined as a holistic assessment of an individual’ s quality of life based on subjective criteria [ 2 ], which is an important indicator of an individual’ s quality of life and mental health [ 3 ]. Groups with lower SWB scores have less psychologically resilience and usually show negative emotions and extreme behaviors such as anxiety, depression and even suicide [ 4 ], which pose a great threat to both physical and mental health. Junior high school adolescents are in the critical period of growth and development, the vulnerable period of independent life, the sensitive period of behavioral imitation and the period of gradual change in social perceptions [ 5 ], and they are easily affected by factors such as poor lifestyle, heavy academic pressure and complex interpersonal relationships, which lead to a decrease in SWB index, thus inducing physical and mental health problems. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to analyze the influencing factors and occurrence mechanisms of SWB in junior high school students, and then take effective measures to improve their SWB, which will help junior high school students to form a healthy lifestyle and good social cognition. Relationship between exercise motivation and SWB Exercise motivation (EM) refers to an individual’s psychological motivation to participate in sports activities or physical exercise [ 6 ]. According to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), EM is an intrinsic tendency to seek novelty and challenge, to exercise or to explore and learn out of one’s own interest or the enjoyment of the activity itself, and is therefore classified as an internal motivation due to its manifestation and outcome orientation [ 7 ]. At the same time, when individuals satisfy their needs for competence, autonomy, and connectedness, self-motivation and psychological well-being are enhanced, thus effectively increasing SWB [ 8 ]. In terms of the mechanism by which EM affects SWB, it is extremely complex due to the influence of social, family, school and other multi-level environmental factors on individual well-being. Some studies have pointed out that the behavior of exercise and its motivational type may have an impact on well-being, such as the predictive effect of autonomous exercise motivation on SWB is more pronounced than that of exercise behavior, whereas physical activities under controlled motivation has a negative predictor of well-being [ 9 ]. In terms of the influence of EM on SWB in different groups, Chen Shanping, a Chinese scholar, has classified EM into Health Motivation (HM), Appearance Motivation (APM), Fun Motivation (FM), Ability Motivation (ABM), and Social Motivation (SM) [ 10 ], and a study has found that HM and APM can motivate college students to improve their well-being by participating in PA [ 11 ]. Meanwhile, for the elderly group, a study has pointed out that autonomous exercise motivation was significantly and positively correlated with well-being when the elderly practiced tai chi [ 12 ]. It can be seen that EM is closely related to SWB, and current research has centered on college students and the elderly group, describing the effects of five types including motivation, including autonomous motivation, control and HM, on SWB, but there is a relative lack of the effects of adolescent EM on their SWB. Therefore, based on this, this study proposes research hypothesis 1 (H1). H1: Adolescent EM has a significant positive predictive effect on their SWB. The mediating role of physical activities between EM and SWB Physical Activity (PA) is any physical movement caused by the contraction of skeletal muscles resulting in the expenditure of energy [ 13 ], which plays an important role in promoting mental health [ 14 ]. PA has long been recognized as the most effective and direct means of promoting physical and mental health. However, the current academic field has not explored the mechanism of PA on SWB in depth [ 15 ], and has mostly focused on analyzing the benefits of PA on SWB. From the perspective of internal benefits, when individuals participate in PA, they will have certain positive emotions due to the smoothness of technical movements, the climax of intense confrontation, and the pleasure of winning [ 16 ]. Meanwhile, from the perspective of exercise psychology, PA not only brings positive emotional experiences, but also promotes physical fitness, which effectively enhances individuals’ SWB [ 17 ]. In addition, evidence from a study of college students suggests that college students who engage in regular PA can enhance their SWB through the chain mediation effects of increased cognitive reappraisal and mental toughness [ 18 ]. From the perspective of external benefits, PA belongs to a social activity, in the process of participation, individuals will produce certain social interactions and social communication with others, which may effectively improve relationships with friends, family members, and teachers, etc., and the harmony of social relationships can lead to an increase in individual SWB [ 19 ]. It is worth noting that according to the SDT, the stronger the individual’s EM, the higher the level of participation in PA. Based on this, hypothesis 2 (H2) is proposed in this study. H2: PA mediates the relationship between adolescent EM on SWB. The mediating role of social-emotional competency between EM and SWB Social-Emotional Competency (SEC) refers to an individual’s ability to recognize and manage his or her own emotions effectively, care for and show empathy for others, solve problems effectively, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions in a variety of situations [ 20 ]. SEC encompasses both social and emotional competencies, and is recognised as a key competency to help adolescents become proactive, socially responsible and ethical. It is also an important indicator to measure adolescents’ mental health [ 21 ]. Studies in EM related to social competence. Social adjustment is one of the important elements of social competence [ 22 ], and it has been found that EM of junior high school students positively predicts social competence. It is probably because students’ physiological and psychological needs such as personal health status, sense of achievement and sense of affiliation have increased in junior high school, and the consistency of their individual internal drive makes it possible for EM to predict social adjustment [ 23 ] Studies in the area of emotional competence related to SWB. Emotional competence refers to an individual’ s ability to effectively identify, express, and manage his or her own and others’ emotions [ 24 ], a study of Chinese and Japanese adolescents pointed out that EM has a strong correlation with personal emotional competencies such as pleasure, enjoyment and empathy [ 25 ]. In summary, SEC is influenced by EM to some extent, and it could be an important variable affecting individuals’ SWB. Based on this, Hypothesis 3 (H3) is proposed. H3: SEC mediates the relationship between EM on SWB in adolescents. The chain mediating role of PA and SEC between EM and SWB In conclusion, EM, PA, and SEC seem to be antecedent variables of SWB, and EM can indirectly affect SWB not only by raising the level of PA, but also through SEC. On this basis, it has been shown that PA positively predicts SEC [ 26 ], and it has been effectively demonstrated in college students [ 27 ] and children [ 28 ] groups. Among college students, those who regularly participate in physical activity have stronger social and emotional abilities and usually show good mental health [ 29 ]. Analyzed from the perspective of social control theory, individuals participating in PA can effectively understand social norms, promote interpersonal relationships, and alleviate psychological stress, thus contributing to developmental SEC [ 30 ]. In the children group, when engaging in PA, children activate physical sensations associated with emotional experiences, such as increased heart rate and shortness of breath. In addition, when children engage in rougher play, they tend to have moderate and vigorous PA ratings, during which they usually pay attention to peer interaction and self-regulation of their emotions in order to make the game fun for all the participating groups [ 31 ]. It is worth noting that EM has been mentioned as an important predictor variable of PA and SEC, so whether EM can influence adolescent SWB through the chain-mediated effect of PA and SEC? Based on this, this study proposes Hypothesis 4 (H4). H4: PA and SEC play a chain mediating role between EM and SWB. In summary, using SDT as the theoretical basis [ 32 ], this study set EM as the independent variable, SWB as the dependent variable, and PA and SEC as the mediators, and examined whether PA and SEC play a role as chain mediators in the relationship between EM and SWB. The default model is shown in Fig. 1 . Methods SPSS 23.0 statistical software was used to process and analyze the data. Descriptive factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis and validation factor analysis were used to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Spearman’s correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation coefficients between the variables, and the mediation effect was discussed according to the mediation effect testing process proposed by Wen et al. [ 33 ]. Structural equation modelling was developed using AMOS 23.0. The significance level of all indicators was set at p < 0.05. For data analysis, effect sizes were calculated with reference to Cohen’ s [ 34 ] criteria, and standard regression coefficients (Beta) were used to measure the degree of influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Participants This study is of cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling method, which is characterised by simplicity of implementation and low cost of use[ 35 ], was used to select students from three middle schools (Handan No. 13 Middle School, Handan No. 25 Middle School and Handan Guangtai Middle School) in Handan, Hebei Province, from 10th to 14th January, 2025 to conduct the questionnaire survey. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) school students; (2) voluntary participation in this study. The questionnaire exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) questionnaire filling time less than 180 seconds; (2) filling of questionnaire with a single answer; (3) filling of questionnaire in a regular way. A total of 1,847 questionnaires were collected in this study, 317 invalid samples were excluded, and finally 1,530 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 82.84%. Among them, there were 771 male students, accounting for 50.39%; and 759 female students were included, accounting for 49.61%. There were 792 students from urban areas, accounting for 51.76%, and 738 students from townships, accounting for 48.24%. There were 545 first-year students, accounting for 35.62%; 492 second-year students, accounting for 32.16%; and 493 third-year students, accounting for 32.22%. The study strictly followed the principles mentioned in the Declaration of Helsinki and has obtained written informed consent from all participating junior high school students and their parents. Meanwhile, this study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Wuhan Sports University (2025001). Demographic investigate Based on demographics, this study investigated junior high school students’ gender, grade, location of registered residence, residency in school, and whether they were the only children in the family. Measurement tools Motives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM-R) This study selected the Chinese version of the MPAM-R revised by Chen Shanping et al. [ 10 ], but also referred to the Motives for Physical Activity Measure – Revised (MPAM-R) composed by Ryan et al. [ 36 ]. The MPAM-R consists of 15 questions in 5 dimensions, namely health, appearance, pleasure, ability, and social interaction. The scale is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 no-5 very strong), with higher scores indicating higher levels of motivation. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.954. At the same time, all exercise motivation measurement questions had CITC values greater than 0.4, which meets the requirements of the reliability test [ 37 ]. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI = 0.998, IFI = 0.998, and NFI = 0.992, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study. Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20) In this study, the brief Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20) compiled by Xing Zhanjun et al. was selected [ 38 ], with a total of 20 questions, of which 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, and 20 were reverse-scored questions. The scale is scored on a 6-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher subjective well-being of the individual. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.983. At the same time, all SWB measurement items had CITC values greater than 0.4. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI = 0.998, IFI = 0.998, and NFI = 0.993, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study. Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3) In this study, the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3) revised by Liang Deqing et al. [ 39 ] was used to assess the level of physical activity participation among adolescents. The scale examines the intensity, duration and frequency of exercise. The scale is based on a 5-point Likert Scale, with intensity and frequency scored from 1 to 5, and time scored from 0 to 4. The scale is calculated by multiplying the three items, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100, with higher scores indicating greater physical activity. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient for this scale is 0.808. At the same time, for all physical activity level measurement questions the CITC values are greater than 0.4. The Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S) The Delaware Social Emotional Competence Scale (DSECS-S) revised by Zhu Xinxin et al [ 40 ]. was selected for this study. The scale consists of a total of 12 questions in 4 dimensions: social perception, peer relationships, self-management, and responsible decision-making. The scale is based on a 4-point Likert Scale (1 not at all like me − 4 very much like me), in which “I blame others when I am in trouble” is a reverse scoring question, with higher scores indicating greater social-emotional competence. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.971. Also, the CITC values were greater than 0.4 for all SEC measurement questions. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI = 0.999, IFI = 0.999, and NFI = 0.996, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study. Results Reliability analysis results The reliability analysis results of each scale are shown in Table 1 . The Cronbach's α coefficients for all sub-dimensions were greater than 0.8, indicating that the scales had excellent internal consistency [ 41 ]. Table 1 Reliability analysis results Dimension Cronbach’s α Number of item EM 0.954 15 SWB 0.983 20 PA 0.808 3 SEC 0.971 12 Note: EM = Exercise Motivation、PA = Physical Activities、SEC = Social-emotional competency、SWB = Subjective well-being Validity analysis results In this study, the structural validity of the scale was tested by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and validation factor analysis (CFA). The KMO and Bartlett’ s test revealed that the KMO value was 0.988 and the Bartlett’ s Test of Sphericity chi-square value was 71944.141 ( p < 0.001 p < 0.001), which indicated that the data were suitable for factor analysis. Factor loadings and commonality: four factors were extracted from the principal component analysis with a cumulative explained variance of 70.924%. As shown in Table 2 , the absolute value of the factor loading coefficients of all the question items is > 0.4, and the common degree is > 0.4, indicating that the factors are effective in extracting the information of the questions. Table 2 Rotated factor loading table (partial example) Item Factor 1 Factor 2 Factor 3 Factor 4 Communality EM-1 0.186 0.754 0.118 0.086 0.625 PA-1 0.189 0.229 0.150 0.772 0.706 SEC-1 0.117 0.128 0.853 0.043 0.759 SWB-1 0.843 0.151 0.091 0.069 0.747 Note: EM = Exercise Motivation、PA = Physical Activities、SEC = Social-emotional competency、SWB = Subjective well-being Common method deviation test Given that this study used a questionnaire, the data are subjectively rated by the subject adolescents, so the test needs to be filled out anonymously, reverse assignment of scores and other appropriate methods to ensure the objectivity and usability of the data. According to the results of Harman’s single-factor test, there are 11 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 in this study, and the amount of variation explained by the first factor is 19.75%, which does not reach the critical value of 40%. Therefore, there is no serious common method bias in this study. Correlation analysis Table 3 Correlation analysis among major variables Variable M ± SD EM PA SEC SWB EM 49.74 ± 13.62 1 PA 33.33 ± 29.29 0.396** 1 SEC 32.92 ± 12.79 0.305** 0.297** 1 SWB 74.75 ± 26.18 0.402** 0.362** 0.282** 1 Note: EM = Exercise Motivation、PA = Physical Activities、SEC = Social-emotional competency、SWB = Subjective well-being The results of Spearman correlation analysis were as follows (Table 3 ), there is a significant positive correlation between EM and PA (r = 0.396, p < 0.01), between EM and SEC (r = 0.305, p < 0.01), and between EM and SWB (r = 0.402, p < 0.01). There is a significant positive correlation between PA and SEC (r = 0.297, p < 0.01) and a significant positive correlation with SWB (r = 0.396, p < 0.01). There is a significant positive correlation between SEC and SWB (r = 0.282, p < 0.01). It can be seen that the correlation level between each major variable reaches the significance level, which lays a good foundation for the subsequent verification of the mediation effect. Mediating effects models In this study, EM is used as the independent variable, SWB as the dependent variable, and PA and SEC as the mediator variables, the chained mediation effects of PA and SEC between EM and SWB were tested using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 software, and the results are shown in Table 4 . Based on the findings, it was concluded that EM could predict SWB, and the standardised direct predictive effect of EM on SWB was 0.258 (95% CI [0.201, 0.313], p < 0.001) (H1). Meanwhile, PA and SEC played an indirect mediating effect in which a total of three paths were included as follows: in the EM→PA→SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.108 (95% CI [0.080, 0.139], p < 0.001) (H2); in the EM→SEC→SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.252 (95% CI [0.14, 0.40], p < 0.001) (H3); in the EM→PA→SEC→SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.12 (95% CI [0.116, 0.178], p < 0.001) (H4). Table 4 Bootstrapping direct and indirect effects and 95% confidence intervals (Cl) for the mediation model Effect Path Standardized effect size Boot 95% CI Effect ratio Direct effect EM→SWB 0.258 *** 0.201 to 0.313 63.86 Mediating effect EM→PA→SWB EM→SEC→SWB EM→PA→SEC→SWB 0.108 *** 0.080 to 0.139 26.73 0.252 *** 0.14 to 0.40 62.37 0.12 *** 0.007 to 0.19 29.7 Total mediating effect 0.145 *** 0.116 to 0.178 35.89 Total effect 0.404 *** 0.358 to 0.446 Note: EM = Exercise Motivation、PA = Physical Activities、SEC = Social-emotional competency、SWB = Subjective well-being; * indicates p < 0.001; effect sizes are based on standardised regression coefficients (β), small effect: β ≥ 0.10, medium effect: β ≥ 0.30, large effect: β ≥ 0.50. Based on the above results, the chain mediation model of this study is shown in Fig. 2 . The fitness indexes of the chain mediation model are shown in Table 5 , and the model is well adapted to the data [ 42 ]. Table 5 The fitness indexes of the chain mediation model χ 2 df χ 2 /df RMSEA RMR CFI NFI IFI TLI GFI AGFI 1330.794 1169.001 1.138 0.010 0.022 0.998 0.982 0.998 0.998 0.967 0.964 Discussion Discussion of direct effects With the continuous development of society, SWB has gradually received more and more attention from researchers, which not only promotes the physical health of individuals, but also serves as a protective factor for psychological health [ 43 ]. The present study confirmed that there is a linear relation between EM and SWB, i.e., EM positively predicts SWB, which is consistent with the results of previous studies, such as autonomous exercise motivation in older adults positively predicts well-being [ 12 ]. It is hypothesised that the direct predictive effect of EM on SWB is related to the following three aspects. The first one is at the psychological level. According to SDT, individual self-needs are one of the most important factors in satisfying well-being, and EM usually stems from an individual’s endogenous choices and interest preferences, which can help to promote a higher level of positive emotions [ 44 ]. Therefore, EM can directly enhance the level of SWB in the context of satisfying individual self-needs. The second one is at the social level. Individual EM may derive from the social support and role identity obtained when participating in collective sports, and this social support can help individuals gain a stronger social connection and sense of identity, which is also an important constituent of individual SWB [ 45 , 46 ]. Therefore, EM can lead individuals to develop stronger social connections, which can directly enhance their SWB. In summary, the strength of individual EM can have a direct impact on individual SWB, and the following suggestions are put forward: Firstly, the main position of school sports should be brought into play to enhance the motivation of adolescents’ sports participation. Schools of all levels and types should be based on their own actual situation, considering regional characteristics, campus environment and students’ needs and other multi-level factors, and actively set up diversified sports activities such as different sports and different forms of development under the premise of the physical and mental development of adolescents [ 47 ], so as to mobilize students’ interest in sports and enhance their intrinsic EM. It is worth noting that physical education teachers in this process should uphold the principle of teaching according to the talent, a group teaching model should be adopted for young people with different levels of athleticism, grouping students who are close in level or have similar sport preferences. Flexibly choose exercise programmes with scientific control of load and intensity, so as to promote the enhancement of the effectiveness of the exercise of young people. Secondly, family members should do a good demonstrating job and promoting the development of healthy lifestyles among adolescents. Family upbringing is an important factor influencing adolescents’ active and healthy behaviors [ 48 , 49 ], thus family members should create a healthy living atmosphere in the process of guardianship, so as to help children develop healthy lifestyles and ensure that they have a high EM. Thirdly, the sports department should do a good job of publicity to help the youth establish a correct perception of sports participation. With the popularity of the Internet, network propaganda has become one of the most important channels to influence the cognition of young people. At present, the “fans circle culture” is breeding, so sports and other relevant departments should take the positive energy of sports as the main line of propaganda to help young people correctly realize the value of exercise [ 50 ], so as to effectively stimulate their intrinsic EM, and to help them enjoy themselves, enhance their physical fitness, improve their personality and strengthen their will in sports activities. Discussion on mediation effect Exercise motivation (EM) is one of the most important factors that determine the duration, amount, and frequency of an individual’ s participation in PA [ 51 ] and based on the SDT, individual psychological needs can stimulate autonomous motivation, and when psychological needs are satisfied, it can influence his or her SWB [ 52 ]. It can be concluded that individuals who have highly EM and participate in PA of a certain intensity usually show higher SWB. Some studies have shown that PA can directly and positively predict an individual’s SWB [ 53 ]. By analyzing the intrinsic reasons, it may be related to two aspects: on the one hand, it will bring positive emotional experience. In the process of physical activity, individuals can vent their negative emotions, and the process of physical activity includes competition, co-operation, winning and losing, which can help individuals to form a richer emotional experience [ 54 ], thus helping individuals to generate higher SWB. On the other hand, it is the feeling of being healthy and physically fit. It is well known that PA has the benefits of improving physical fitness, enhancing immunity levels, and improving cardiorespiratory fitness, etc. [ 55 ]. A healthy body is the basis for satisfying the individual’s daily life, and it is also an important prerequisite for SWB [ 56 ]. Interestingly, the results of this study suggest that EM may positively influence junior high school students’ SWB through the mediating role of PA. Tian Yong et al. [ 57 ] also found a similar finding in a group of senior college students that EM may indirectly affect the level of an individual’s mental health through the mediating role of PA, thus helping improve their SWB. In summary, combining the results of this study, we can hypothesize that EM can effectively stimulate the level of PA, and in the process help individuals to obtain positive emotional experiences and healthy physical feelings, which in turn can enhance their SWB. A good SEC is an important foundation for adolescents’ successful transition through adolescence [ 58 ]. A Meta-analysis showed that improving individual SEC can significantly improve students’ academic performance, establish positive peer relationships, improve emotional health, reduce problematic behaviors, and promote the development of moral character [ 59 ], a healthy body is the basis for an individual’ s daily life and is also an important prerequisite for influencing an individual’ s subjective well-being (SWB) [ 60 ]. The results of this study showed that SEC was significantly and positively related to SWB, while SEC mediated the influence of EM on SWB. It may result from relating to the following two aspects On the one hand, self-awareness influences adolescents’ SEC. Individual EM is one of the manifestations reflecting the level of self-awareness [ 61 ]. When adolescents hold different EM, such as health needs, ability development, and social interaction, not only can they participate in physical exercise more purposefully, but they can also achieve self-worth during the process of participation, and they can also have a clearer self-awareness of themselves [ 62 ], which helps to improve their SEC. On the other hand, SEC helps adolescents to better adapt to their living environment. Adolescents in puberty are susceptible to be influenced by different environments, such as family, school and society, which may lead to psychological disorders [ 63 ]. A good SEC can help adolescents communicate and negotiate with others more effectively, cope with the frustrations and pressures of life, and establish harmonious interpersonal relationships and a strong resistance to pressure [ 64 ], thus contributing to a higher subjective sense of well-being. Thus, exercise motivation has the function of enhancing individual self-awareness, which can help adolescents adapt to the living environment better, thus helping to enhance their SWB. In addition, this study constructed a structural equation model of “PA and SEC” as a chain mediator, and found that between adolescents’ EM and SWB, the “PA and SEC” chain mediation effect also reached a significant level. It is speculated that the intrinsic reasons may be related to the following two aspects. On the one hand, it is analyzed from the perspective of the mechanism of the psychological effect of physical activity. Adolescents’ participation in PA is usually accompanied by interactions with others and helping and monitoring each other in the process, and this mutual support plays an important role in generating positive emotions. In addition, the structure of adolescents’ social network is also continuously improved in the process of PA, which positively affects the enhancement of their interpersonal communication, emotion regulation, and stress-resistance abilities, and thus contributes to the enhancement of their SEC [ 65 ]. On the other hand, PA is an important medium for developing social-emotional competence. The difficulties and setbacks faced in the process of physical activity can help adolescents to sharpen their will and enhance their stress resistance. More importantly, physical activity emphasizes respect, equality and responsibility, as well as ethical standards and social norms, which are of unique value to the development of their sense of social responsibility, and will have a certain transferable value to adolescents’ growth in the future [ 28 ]. In summary, this paper confirms that EM can influence adolescents’ SWB through the chain mediation of PA and SEC on the basis of the results of the previous studies. This further reveals that EM can positively predict individuals’ PA, which can help them to receive social support and promote stress resistance and other competences in physical activities. Thus enhance SEC, which ultimately results in the enhancement of an individual’s SWB. Limitations This study has the following limitations. First, study is a cross-sectional design, and it only considering adolescents in junior high school in Hebei as the survey group, which may limit the efficacy of causal inference, and the findings may not apply to non-Chinese groups or older adolescents. We will expand the sampling range of the sample in the future, and test or improve the results of the study by combining the longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. Second, The data obtained in this study only reflect the state of the adolescents over a given period of time, which does not allow for a valid judgement of the order of the mechanism of action between the variables. Third, this study did not investigate the effect of latent variables such as economic level, parenting styles, peer relationships, etc., and these unmeasured factors may lead to biased the results. Finally, this study mainly examined the relationship between EM and PA, SEC, and SWB as a whole, and there was no categorical comparison of adolescents’ types of EM. Subsequent studies can categorize and compare the sub-dimensions of EM to enrich the findings continuously. Conclusions This study confirms that adolescents’ EM is positively related to their SWB. It can not only directly affect the level of SWB, but also indirectly affect the level of it through the mediation of PA and SEC, respectively, as well as indirectly affect the level of adolescents’ SWB through the chain mediation of PA and SEC. The results indicate that a higher EM may enhance adolescents’ level of PA and SEC competence, which further contributes to their SWB, which plays an important role in enhancing adolescents’ mental health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Declarations Acknowledgements We would like to thank the participants for their involvement in this study. Authors’ contributions ZKY was in charge of questionnaire distribution, data analysis, and text writing. LMY provided overall control of the study.YZK, KNX, and GHP revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. Funding Not applicable. Data and materials Availability Data will be made available on request, if necessary, please contact the authors. Ethics approval and consent to participate Firstly, this study strictly follows the principles mentioned in the Declaration of Helsinki, and all methods were carried out in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Secondly, this study has been endorsed by the Ethics Committee of Wuhan Sports University (2025001). Finally, informed consent was obtained from all the junior high school students and their guardians for this study. Consent for publication Not applicable. Competing interests The authors declare no competing interests. References Zhou H, Zhou QY. Effect of Physical Exercise on Subjective Well－being of College Students: Chain Mediation Effect of Cognitive Reappraisal and Resilience. Journal of Shandong Sport University,2022,38(01):105-111.https://doi.org/10.14104/j.cnki.1006-2076.2022.01.013. Diener E. Subjective well-being. Psychological bulletin, 1984, 95(3): 542.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2350-6_2. Pavot W, Diener E. 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International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022, 19(21): 14185. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114185. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 08 May, 2025 Read the published version in BMC Public Health → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 03 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 01 Apr, 2025 Reviews received at journal 30 Mar, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Mar, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 30 Mar, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 27 Mar, 2025 First submitted to journal 24 Mar, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-5946578","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":436048951,"identity":"ebe75ee4-f731-4a13-9e2b-2b0b832c393a","order_by":0,"name":"Kaiyi Zhang","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAyElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACNmbG9g8SBjZybPzNB4jTwsfO3MZgUZBmzC9xLIE4LXL87G0MFR8OJ85syDEg2mFtD24YMDNuOHDm4403DHZyug2EtbQbzjBgYzY43LvZcg5DsrHZAcJaGqQlDHjYDA6c3SbNw3AgcRtRWv4YSPAYHMh5RrSWNgkJAwMJyYYcNqK1NBtIGCQYAAPZ2HKOARF+ke8//vCBxJ//9W38zQ9vvKmwkyOoBQUAfUSKcogWUnWMglEwCkbBiAAAaZ89c7gZ4GsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"China Youth Sports and the Integration of Sports and Education Public Policy Research Center","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kaiyi","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":436048955,"identity":"fc426368-2ff7-4959-90ba-2b867259f2aa","order_by":1,"name":"Mingyi Liu","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"China Youth Sports and the Integration of Sports and Education Public Policy Research Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mingyi","middleName":"","lastName":"Liu","suffix":""},{"id":436048958,"identity":"ea17b3cf-31cf-4ca9-8515-3aad5e2aa03e","order_by":2,"name":"Nianxin Kong","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"China Youth Sports and the Integration of Sports and Education Public Policy Research Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Nianxin","middleName":"","lastName":"Kong","suffix":""},{"id":436048962,"identity":"379b53f9-0f0b-4c7f-af17-49b54c3500c5","order_by":3,"name":"Zikang Yin","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"China Youth Sports and the Integration of Sports and Education Public Policy Research Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zikang","middleName":"","lastName":"Yin","suffix":""},{"id":436048963,"identity":"344315fe-dbb0-4959-92cf-aab4a9f64537","order_by":4,"name":"Haipei Gong","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"China Youth Sports and the Integration of Sports and Education Public Policy Research Center","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Haipei","middleName":"","lastName":"Gong","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-02-02 16:08:16","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22965-0","type":"published","date":"2025-05-08T15:57:27+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":79648681,"identity":"a670a97a-7919-4115-9d58-52c65ff5b9a7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-01 07:28:11","extension":"jpg","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":124723,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eDefault model\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig1Defaultmodel.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5946578/v1/ad79507ad2d855654c1240d9.jpg"},{"id":79648683,"identity":"0ee08529-ae9e-4122-886d-3eea15080295","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-04-01 07:28:11","extension":"jpg","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":139906,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eChain-mediated effects model of PA and SEC\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"Fig2ChainmediatedeffectsmodelofPAandSEC.jpg","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5946578/v1/44f9019e0ae9fec9829e17e5.jpg"},{"id":82537594,"identity":"e998af57-d0c7-4206-9a48-6b09d888390f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-05-12 16:09:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1219541,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-5946578/v1/695852c9-0dea-45e0-b7af-84d724dc1298.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Effect of Exercise Motivation on Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being: Chain Mediation of Physical Activity and Social-emotional Competency","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eSubjective Well-Being (SWB), an important topic in contemporary Positive Psychology [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e], has become a hot topic not only in the academic field, but also in our daily life, for example, \u0026ldquo;Are you happy lately?\u0026rdquo; may appear in people\u0026rsquo;s chit-chat when come across with acquaintances. The term SWB was first proposed by Diener (1984) and was defined as a holistic assessment of an individual\u0026rsquo; s quality of life based on subjective criteria [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e], which is an important indicator of an individual\u0026rsquo; s quality of life and mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e]. Groups with lower SWB scores have less psychologically resilience and usually show negative emotions and extreme behaviors such as anxiety, depression and even suicide [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e], which pose a great threat to both physical and mental health. Junior high school adolescents are in the critical period of growth and development, the vulnerable period of independent life, the sensitive period of behavioral imitation and the period of gradual change in social perceptions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e], and they are easily affected by factors such as poor lifestyle, heavy academic pressure and complex interpersonal relationships, which lead to a decrease in SWB index, thus inducing physical and mental health problems. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to analyze the influencing factors and occurrence mechanisms of SWB in junior high school students, and then take effective measures to improve their SWB, which will help junior high school students to form a healthy lifestyle and good social cognition.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRelationship between exercise motivation and SWB\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExercise motivation (EM) refers to an individual\u0026rsquo;s psychological motivation to participate in sports activities or physical exercise [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. According to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), EM is an intrinsic tendency to seek novelty and challenge, to exercise or to explore and learn out of one\u0026rsquo;s own interest or the enjoyment of the activity itself, and is therefore classified as an internal motivation due to its manifestation and outcome orientation [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. At the same time, when individuals satisfy their needs for competence, autonomy, and connectedness, self-motivation and psychological well-being are enhanced, thus effectively increasing SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e]. In terms of the mechanism by which EM affects SWB, it is extremely complex due to the influence of social, family, school and other multi-level environmental factors on individual well-being. Some studies have pointed out that the behavior of exercise and its motivational type may have an impact on well-being, such as the predictive effect of autonomous exercise motivation on SWB is more pronounced than that of exercise behavior, whereas physical activities under controlled motivation has a negative predictor of well-being [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. In terms of the influence of EM on SWB in different groups, Chen Shanping, a Chinese scholar, has classified EM into Health Motivation (HM), Appearance Motivation (APM), Fun Motivation (FM), Ability Motivation (ABM), and Social Motivation (SM) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e], and a study has found that HM and APM can motivate college students to improve their well-being by participating in PA [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e]. Meanwhile, for the elderly group, a study has pointed out that autonomous exercise motivation was significantly and positively correlated with well-being when the elderly practiced tai chi [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. It can be seen that EM is closely related to SWB, and current research has centered on college students and the elderly group, describing the effects of five types including motivation, including autonomous motivation, control and HM, on SWB, but there is a relative lack of the effects of adolescent EM on their SWB. Therefore, based on this, this study proposes research hypothesis 1 (H1).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eH1: Adolescent EM has a significant positive predictive effect on their SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe mediating role of physical activities between EM and SWB\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003ePhysical Activity (PA) is any physical movement caused by the contraction of skeletal muscles resulting in the expenditure of energy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e], which plays an important role in promoting mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e]. PA has long been recognized as the most effective and direct means of promoting physical and mental health. However, the current academic field has not explored the mechanism of PA on SWB in depth [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e], and has mostly focused on analyzing the benefits of PA on SWB. From the perspective of internal benefits, when individuals participate in PA, they will have certain positive emotions due to the smoothness of technical movements, the climax of intense confrontation, and the pleasure of winning [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Meanwhile, from the perspective of exercise psychology, PA not only brings positive emotional experiences, but also promotes physical fitness, which effectively enhances individuals\u0026rsquo; SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e]. In addition, evidence from a study of college students suggests that college students who engage in regular PA can enhance their SWB through the chain mediation effects of increased cognitive reappraisal and mental toughness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e]. From the perspective of external benefits, PA belongs to a social activity, in the process of participation, individuals will produce certain social interactions and social communication with others, which may effectively improve relationships with friends, family members, and teachers, etc., and the harmony of social relationships can lead to an increase in individual SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. It is worth noting that according to the SDT, the stronger the individual\u0026rsquo;s EM, the higher the level of participation in PA. Based on this, hypothesis 2 (H2) is proposed in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eH2: PA mediates the relationship between adolescent EM on SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe mediating role of social-emotional competency between EM and SWB\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSocial-Emotional Competency (SEC) refers to an individual\u0026rsquo;s ability to recognize and manage his or her own emotions effectively, care for and show empathy for others, solve problems effectively, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions in a variety of situations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. SEC encompasses both social and emotional competencies, and is recognised as a key competency to help adolescents become proactive, socially responsible and ethical. It is also an important indicator to measure adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. Studies in EM related to social competence. Social adjustment is one of the important elements of social competence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e], and it has been found that EM of junior high school students positively predicts social competence. It is probably because students\u0026rsquo; physiological and psychological needs such as personal health status, sense of achievement and sense of affiliation have increased in junior high school, and the consistency of their individual internal drive makes it possible for EM to predict social adjustment [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] Studies in the area of emotional competence related to SWB. Emotional competence refers to an individual\u0026rsquo; s ability to effectively identify, express, and manage his or her own and others\u0026rsquo; emotions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e], a study of Chinese and Japanese adolescents pointed out that EM has a strong correlation with personal emotional competencies such as pleasure, enjoyment and empathy [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, SEC is influenced by EM to some extent, and it could be an important variable affecting individuals\u0026rsquo; SWB. Based on this, Hypothesis 3 (H3) is proposed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eH3: SEC mediates the relationship between EM on SWB in adolescents.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe chain mediating role of PA and SEC between EM and SWB\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, EM, PA, and SEC seem to be antecedent variables of SWB, and EM can indirectly affect SWB not only by raising the level of PA, but also through SEC. On this basis, it has been shown that PA positively predicts SEC [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e], and it has been effectively demonstrated in college students [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e] and children [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e] groups. Among college students, those who regularly participate in physical activity have stronger social and emotional abilities and usually show good mental health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. Analyzed from the perspective of social control theory, individuals participating in PA can effectively understand social norms, promote interpersonal relationships, and alleviate psychological stress, thus contributing to developmental SEC [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e]. In the children group, when engaging in PA, children activate physical sensations associated with emotional experiences, such as increased heart rate and shortness of breath. In addition, when children engage in rougher play, they tend to have moderate and vigorous PA ratings, during which they usually pay attention to peer interaction and self-regulation of their emotions in order to make the game fun for all the participating groups [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. It is worth noting that EM has been mentioned as an important predictor variable of PA and SEC, so whether EM can influence adolescent SWB through the chain-mediated effect of PA and SEC? Based on this, this study proposes Hypothesis 4 (H4).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eH4: PA and SEC play a chain mediating role between EM and SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, using SDT as the theoretical basis [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e], this study set EM as the independent variable, SWB as the dependent variable, and PA and SEC as the mediators, and examined whether PA and SEC play a role as chain mediators in the relationship between EM and SWB. The default model is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methods","content":"\u003cp\u003eSPSS 23.0 statistical software was used to process and analyze the data. Descriptive factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis and validation factor analysis were used to test the reliability and validity of the scale. Spearman\u0026rsquo;s correlation analysis was used to examine the correlation coefficients between the variables, and the mediation effect was discussed according to the mediation effect testing process proposed by Wen et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e]. Structural equation modelling was developed using AMOS 23.0. The significance level of all indicators was set at p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05. For data analysis, effect sizes were calculated with reference to Cohen\u0026rsquo; s [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e] criteria, and standard regression coefficients (Beta) were used to measure the degree of influence of the independent variable on the dependent variable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eParticipants\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study is of cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling method, which is characterised by simplicity of implementation and low cost of use[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e], was used to select students from three middle schools (Handan No. 13 Middle School, Handan No. 25 Middle School and Handan Guangtai Middle School) in Handan, Hebei Province, from 10th to 14th January, 2025 to conduct the questionnaire survey. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) school students; (2) voluntary participation in this study. The questionnaire exclusion criteria were as follows: (1) questionnaire filling time less than 180 seconds; (2) filling of questionnaire with a single answer; (3) filling of questionnaire in a regular way. A total of 1,847 questionnaires were collected in this study, 317 invalid samples were excluded, and finally 1,530 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 82.84%. Among them, there were 771 male students, accounting for 50.39%; and 759 female students were included, accounting for 49.61%. There were 792 students from urban areas, accounting for 51.76%, and 738 students from townships, accounting for 48.24%. There were 545 first-year students, accounting for 35.62%; 492 second-year students, accounting for 32.16%; and 493 third-year students, accounting for 32.22%. The study strictly followed the principles mentioned in the Declaration of Helsinki and has obtained written informed consent from all participating junior high school students and their parents. Meanwhile, this study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Wuhan Sports University (2025001).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDemographic investigate\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on demographics, this study investigated junior high school students\u0026rsquo; gender, grade, location of registered residence, residency in school, and whether they were the only children in the family.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMeasurement tools\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec10\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMotives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM-R)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study selected the Chinese version of the MPAM-R revised by Chen Shanping et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e], but also referred to the Motives for Physical Activity Measure \u0026ndash; Revised (MPAM-R) composed by Ryan et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e]. The MPAM-R consists of 15 questions in 5 dimensions, namely health, appearance, pleasure, ability, and social interaction. The scale is scored on a 5-point Likert scale (1 no-5 very strong), with higher scores indicating higher levels of motivation. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.954. At the same time, all exercise motivation measurement questions had CITC values greater than 0.4, which meets the requirements of the reliability test [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e]. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.998, IFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.998, and NFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.992, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSubjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, the brief Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20) compiled by Xing Zhanjun et al. was selected [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e], with a total of 20 questions, of which 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, and 20 were reverse-scored questions. The scale is scored on a 6-point Likert Scale, with higher scores indicating higher subjective well-being of the individual. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.983. At the same time, all SWB measurement items had CITC values greater than 0.4. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.998, IFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.998, and NFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.993, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhysical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3) revised by Liang Deqing et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR39\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e39\u003c/span\u003e] was used to assess the level of physical activity participation among adolescents. The scale examines the intensity, duration and frequency of exercise. The scale is based on a 5-point Likert Scale, with intensity and frequency scored from 1 to 5, and time scored from 0 to 4. The scale is calculated by multiplying the three items, with a minimum of 0 and a maximum of 100, with higher scores indicating greater physical activity. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient for this scale is 0.808. At the same time, for all physical activity level measurement questions the CITC values are greater than 0.4.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S)\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Delaware Social Emotional Competence Scale (DSECS-S) revised by Zhu Xinxin et al [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR40\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e40\u003c/span\u003e]. was selected for this study. The scale consists of a total of 12 questions in 4 dimensions: social perception, peer relationships, self-management, and responsible decision-making. The scale is based on a 4-point Likert Scale (1 not at all like me \u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;4 very much like me), in which \u0026ldquo;I blame others when I am in trouble\u0026rdquo; is a reverse scoring question, with higher scores indicating greater social-emotional competence. In this study, the Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.971. Also, the CITC values were greater than 0.4 for all SEC measurement questions. Confirmatory factor analysis yielded confirmatory factor analysis fitness index of CFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.999, IFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.999, and NFI\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.996, which indicated that the scale had good reliability and validity in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eReliability analysis results\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe reliability analysis results of each scale are shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e. The Cronbach's α coefficients for all sub-dimensions were greater than 0.8, indicating that the scales had excellent internal consistency [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR41\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e41\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReliability analysis results\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCronbach\u0026rsquo;s α\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNumber of item\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.954\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.983\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.808\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.971\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e12\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"3\"\u003eNote: EM\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Exercise Motivation、PA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Physical Activities、SEC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social-emotional competency、SWB\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Subjective well-being\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eValidity analysis results\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, the structural validity of the scale was tested by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and validation factor analysis (CFA). The KMO and Bartlett\u0026rsquo; s test revealed that the KMO value was 0.988 and the Bartlett\u0026rsquo; s Test of Sphericity chi-square value was 71944.141 (\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), which indicated that the data were suitable for factor analysis. Factor loadings and commonality: four factors were extracted from the principal component analysis with a cumulative explained variance of 70.924%. As shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e, the absolute value of the factor loading coefficients of all the question items is \u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.4, and the common degree is \u0026gt;\u0026thinsp;0.4, indicating that the factors are effective in extracting the information of the questions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRotated factor loading table (partial example)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eItem\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactor 1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactor 2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactor 3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFactor 4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCommunality\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.186\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.754\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.118\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.086\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.625\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePA-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.189\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.229\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.150\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.772\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.706\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEC-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.117\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.128\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.853\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.043\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.759\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSWB-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.843\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.151\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.091\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.069\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.747\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eNote: EM\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Exercise Motivation、PA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Physical Activities、SEC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social-emotional competency、SWB\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Subjective well-being\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCommon method deviation test\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eGiven that this study used a questionnaire, the data are subjectively rated by the subject adolescents, so the test needs to be filled out anonymously, reverse assignment of scores and other appropriate methods to ensure the objectivity and usability of the data. According to the results of Harman\u0026rsquo;s single-factor test, there are 11 factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 in this study, and the amount of variation explained by the first factor is 19.75%, which does not reach the critical value of 40%. Therefore, there is no serious common method bias in this study.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCorrelation analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCorrelation analysis among major variables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eM\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e49.74\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;13.62\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.33\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;29.29\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.396**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSEC\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e32.92\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;12.79\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.305**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.297**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e74.75\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;26.18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.402**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.362**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.282**\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eNote: EM\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Exercise Motivation、PA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Physical Activities、SEC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social-emotional competency、SWB\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Subjective well-being\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of Spearman correlation analysis were as follows (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e), there is a significant positive correlation between EM and PA (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.396, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01), between EM and SEC (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.305, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01), and between EM and SWB (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.402, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01). There is a significant positive correlation between PA and SEC (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.297, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01) and a significant positive correlation with SWB (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.396, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01). There is a significant positive correlation between SEC and SWB (r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.282, \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.01). It can be seen that the correlation level between each major variable reaches the significance level, which lays a good foundation for the subsequent verification of the mediation effect.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMediating effects models\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn this study, EM is used as the independent variable, SWB as the dependent variable, and PA and SEC as the mediator variables, the chained mediation effects of PA and SEC between EM and SWB were tested using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 software, and the results are shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the findings, it was concluded that EM could predict SWB, and the standardised direct predictive effect of EM on SWB was 0.258 (95% CI [0.201, 0.313], \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) (H1). Meanwhile, PA and SEC played an indirect mediating effect in which a total of three paths were included as follows: in the EM\u0026rarr;PA\u0026rarr;SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.108 (95% CI [0.080, 0.139], \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) (H2); in the EM\u0026rarr;SEC\u0026rarr;SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.252 (95% CI [0.14, 0.40], \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) (H3); in the EM\u0026rarr;PA\u0026rarr;SEC\u0026rarr;SWB path, the indirect effect is 0.12 (95% CI [0.116, 0.178], \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) (H4).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBootstrapping direct and indirect effects and 95% confidence intervals (Cl) for the mediation model\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEffect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePath\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandardized effect size\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoot 95% CI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEffect ratio\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDirect effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u0026rarr;SWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.258\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.201 to 0.313\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63.86\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMediating effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\" morerows=\"2\" rowspan=\"3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u0026rarr;PA\u0026rarr;SWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u0026rarr;SEC\u0026rarr;SWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEM\u0026rarr;PA\u0026rarr;SEC\u0026rarr;SWB\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.108\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.080 to 0.139\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26.73\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.252\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.14 to 0.40\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62.37\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.12\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.007 to 0.19\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal mediating effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.145\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.116 to 0.178\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e35.89\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal effect\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.404\u003csup\u003e***\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.358 to 0.446\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eNote: EM\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Exercise Motivation、PA\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Physical Activities、SEC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Social-emotional competency、SWB\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Subjective well-being; * indicates \u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001; effect sizes are based on standardised regression coefficients (β), small effect: β\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;0.10, medium effect: β\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;0.30, large effect: β\u0026thinsp;\u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;0.50.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the above results, the chain mediation model of this study is shown in Fig.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e. The fitness indexes of the chain mediation model are shown in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e, and the model is well adapted to the data [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR42\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e42\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe fitness indexes of the chain mediation model\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"11\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c7\" colnum=\"7\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c8\" colnum=\"8\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c9\" colnum=\"9\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c10\" colnum=\"10\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c11\" colnum=\"11\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003edf\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eχ\u003csup\u003e2\u003c/sup\u003e/df\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRMSEA\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRMR\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTLI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAGFI\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1330.794\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1169.001\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.138\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.010\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.022\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.998\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c7\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.982\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c8\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.998\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c9\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.998\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c10\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.967\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c11\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0.964\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDiscussion of direct effects\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWith the continuous development of society, SWB has gradually received more and more attention from researchers, which not only promotes the physical health of individuals, but also serves as a protective factor for psychological health [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR43\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e43\u003c/span\u003e]. The present study confirmed that there is a linear relation between EM and SWB, i.e., EM positively predicts SWB, which is consistent with the results of previous studies, such as autonomous exercise motivation in older adults positively predicts well-being [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e]. It is hypothesised that the direct predictive effect of EM on SWB is related to the following three aspects. The first one is at the psychological level. According to SDT, individual self-needs are one of the most important factors in satisfying well-being, and EM usually stems from an individual\u0026rsquo;s endogenous choices and interest preferences, which can help to promote a higher level of positive emotions [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR44\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e44\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, EM can directly enhance the level of SWB in the context of satisfying individual self-needs. The second one is at the social level. Individual EM may derive from the social support and role identity obtained when participating in collective sports, and this social support can help individuals gain a stronger social connection and sense of identity, which is also an important constituent of individual SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR45\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e45\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR46\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e46\u003c/span\u003e]. Therefore, EM can lead individuals to develop stronger social connections, which can directly enhance their SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn summary, the strength of individual EM can have a direct impact on individual SWB, and the following suggestions are put forward: Firstly, the main position of school sports should be brought into play to enhance the motivation of adolescents\u0026rsquo; sports participation. Schools of all levels and types should be based on their own actual situation, considering regional characteristics, campus environment and students\u0026rsquo; needs and other multi-level factors, and actively set up diversified sports activities such as different sports and different forms of development under the premise of the physical and mental development of adolescents [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR47\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e47\u003c/span\u003e], so as to mobilize students\u0026rsquo; interest in sports and enhance their intrinsic EM. It is worth noting that physical education teachers in this process should uphold the principle of teaching according to the talent, a group teaching model should be adopted for young people with different levels of athleticism, grouping students who are close in level or have similar sport preferences. Flexibly choose exercise programmes with scientific control of load and intensity, so as to promote the enhancement of the effectiveness of the exercise of young people. Secondly, family members should do a good demonstrating job and promoting the development of healthy lifestyles among adolescents. Family upbringing is an important factor influencing adolescents\u0026rsquo; active and healthy behaviors [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR48\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e48\u003c/span\u003e, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR49\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e49\u003c/span\u003e], thus family members should create a healthy living atmosphere in the process of guardianship, so as to help children develop healthy lifestyles and ensure that they have a high EM. Thirdly, the sports department should do a good job of publicity to help the youth establish a correct perception of sports participation. With the popularity of the Internet, network propaganda has become one of the most important channels to influence the cognition of young people. At present, the \u0026ldquo;fans circle culture\u0026rdquo; is breeding, so sports and other relevant departments should take the positive energy of sports as the main line of propaganda to help young people correctly realize the value of exercise [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR50\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e50\u003c/span\u003e], so as to effectively stimulate their intrinsic EM, and to help them enjoy themselves, enhance their physical fitness, improve their personality and strengthen their will in sports activities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eDiscussion on mediation effect\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eExercise motivation (EM) is one of the most important factors that determine the duration, amount, and frequency of an individual\u0026rsquo; s participation in PA [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR51\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e51\u003c/span\u003e] and based on the SDT, individual psychological needs can stimulate autonomous motivation, and when psychological needs are satisfied, it can influence his or her SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR52\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e52\u003c/span\u003e]. It can be concluded that individuals who have highly EM and participate in PA of a certain intensity usually show higher SWB. Some studies have shown that PA can directly and positively predict an individual\u0026rsquo;s SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR53\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e53\u003c/span\u003e]. By analyzing the intrinsic reasons, it may be related to two aspects: on the one hand, it will bring positive emotional experience. In the process of physical activity, individuals can vent their negative emotions, and the process of physical activity includes competition, co-operation, winning and losing, which can help individuals to form a richer emotional experience [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR54\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e54\u003c/span\u003e], thus helping individuals to generate higher SWB. On the other hand, it is the feeling of being healthy and physically fit. It is well known that PA has the benefits of improving physical fitness, enhancing immunity levels, and improving cardiorespiratory fitness, etc. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR55\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e55\u003c/span\u003e]. A healthy body is the basis for satisfying the individual\u0026rsquo;s daily life, and it is also an important prerequisite for SWB [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR56\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e56\u003c/span\u003e]. Interestingly, the results of this study suggest that EM may positively influence junior high school students\u0026rsquo; SWB through the mediating role of PA. Tian Yong et al. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR57\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e57\u003c/span\u003e] also found a similar finding in a group of senior college students that EM may indirectly affect the level of an individual\u0026rsquo;s mental health through the mediating role of PA, thus helping improve their SWB. In summary, combining the results of this study, we can hypothesize that EM can effectively stimulate the level of PA, and in the process help individuals to obtain positive emotional experiences and healthy physical feelings, which in turn can enhance their SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA good SEC is an important foundation for adolescents\u0026rsquo; successful transition through adolescence [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR58\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e58\u003c/span\u003e]. A Meta-analysis showed that improving individual SEC can significantly improve students\u0026rsquo; academic performance, establish positive peer relationships, improve emotional health, reduce problematic behaviors, and promote the development of moral character [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR59\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e59\u003c/span\u003e], a healthy body is the basis for an individual\u0026rsquo; s daily life and is also an important prerequisite for influencing an individual\u0026rsquo; s subjective well-being (SWB) [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR60\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e60\u003c/span\u003e]. The results of this study showed that SEC was significantly and positively related to SWB, while SEC mediated the influence of EM on SWB. It may result from relating to the following two aspects On the one hand, self-awareness influences adolescents\u0026rsquo; SEC. Individual EM is one of the manifestations reflecting the level of self-awareness [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR61\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e61\u003c/span\u003e]. When adolescents hold different EM, such as health needs, ability development, and social interaction, not only can they participate in physical exercise more purposefully, but they can also achieve self-worth during the process of participation, and they can also have a clearer self-awareness of themselves [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR62\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e62\u003c/span\u003e], which helps to improve their SEC. On the other hand, SEC helps adolescents to better adapt to their living environment. Adolescents in puberty are susceptible to be influenced by different environments, such as family, school and society, which may lead to psychological disorders [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR63\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e63\u003c/span\u003e]. A good SEC can help adolescents communicate and negotiate with others more effectively, cope with the frustrations and pressures of life, and establish harmonious interpersonal relationships and a strong resistance to pressure [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR64\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e64\u003c/span\u003e], thus contributing to a higher subjective sense of well-being. Thus, exercise motivation has the function of enhancing individual self-awareness, which can help adolescents adapt to the living environment better, thus helping to enhance their SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn addition, this study constructed a structural equation model of \u0026ldquo;PA and SEC\u0026rdquo; as a chain mediator, and found that between adolescents\u0026rsquo; EM and SWB, the \u0026ldquo;PA and SEC\u0026rdquo; chain mediation effect also reached a significant level. It is speculated that the intrinsic reasons may be related to the following two aspects. On the one hand, it is analyzed from the perspective of the mechanism of the psychological effect of physical activity. Adolescents\u0026rsquo; participation in PA is usually accompanied by interactions with others and helping and monitoring each other in the process, and this mutual support plays an important role in generating positive emotions. In addition, the structure of adolescents\u0026rsquo; social network is also continuously improved in the process of PA, which positively affects the enhancement of their interpersonal communication, emotion regulation, and stress-resistance abilities, and thus contributes to the enhancement of their SEC [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR65\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e65\u003c/span\u003e]. On the other hand, PA is an important medium for developing social-emotional competence. The difficulties and setbacks faced in the process of physical activity can help adolescents to sharpen their will and enhance their stress resistance. More importantly, physical activity emphasizes respect, equality and responsibility, as well as ethical standards and social norms, which are of unique value to the development of their sense of social responsibility, and will have a certain transferable value to adolescents\u0026rsquo; growth in the future [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. In summary, this paper confirms that EM can influence adolescents\u0026rsquo; SWB through the chain mediation of PA and SEC on the basis of the results of the previous studies. This further reveals that EM can positively predict individuals\u0026rsquo; PA, which can help them to receive social support and promote stress resistance and other competences in physical activities. Thus enhance SEC, which ultimately results in the enhancement of an individual\u0026rsquo;s SWB.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study has the following limitations. First, study is a cross-sectional design, and it only considering adolescents in junior high school in Hebei as the survey group, which may limit the efficacy of causal inference, and the findings may not apply to non-Chinese groups or older adolescents. We will expand the sampling range of the sample in the future, and test or improve the results of the study by combining the longitudinal and cross-sectional studies. Second, The data obtained in this study only reflect the state of the adolescents over a given period of time, which does not allow for a valid judgement of the order of the mechanism of action between the variables. Third, this study did not investigate the effect of latent variables such as economic level, parenting styles, peer relationships, etc., and these unmeasured factors may lead to biased the results. Finally, this study mainly examined the relationship between EM and PA, SEC, and SWB as a whole, and there was no categorical comparison of adolescents\u0026rsquo; types of EM. Subsequent studies can categorize and compare the sub-dimensions of EM to enrich the findings continuously.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusions","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study confirms that adolescents\u0026rsquo; EM is positively related to their SWB. It can not only directly affect the level of SWB, but also indirectly affect the level of it through the mediation of PA and SEC, respectively, as well as indirectly affect the level of adolescents\u0026rsquo; SWB through the chain mediation of PA and SEC. The results indicate that a higher EM may enhance adolescents\u0026rsquo; level of PA and SEC competence, which further contributes to their SWB, which plays an important role in enhancing adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe would like to thank the participants for their involvement in this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAuthors\u0026rsquo; contributions\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eZKY was in charge of questionnaire distribution, data analysis, and text writing. LMY provided overall control of the study.YZK, KNX, and GHP revised the manuscript. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eData and materials Availability\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData will be made available on request, if necessary, please contact the authors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics approval and consent to participate\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFirstly, this study strictly follows the principles mentioned in the Declaration of Helsinki, and all methods were carried out in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. Secondly, this study has been endorsed by the Ethics Committee of Wuhan Sports University (2025001). Finally, informed consent was obtained from all the junior high school students and their guardians for this study.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors declare no competing interests.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eZhou H, Zhou QY. Effect of Physical Exercise on Subjective Well－being of College Students: Chain Mediation Effect of Cognitive Reappraisal and Resilience. Journal of Shandong Sport University,2022,38(01):105-111.https://doi.org/10.14104/j.cnki.1006-2076.2022.01.013. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDiener E. Subjective well-being. Psychological bulletin, 1984, 95(3): 542.https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2350-6_2.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePavot W, Diener E. 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International journal of environmental research and public health, 2022, 19(21): 14185. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph192114185.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Exercise motivation, Subjective well-being, Physical activities, Social-emotional competency, Junior high school student, Chain mediation","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eObjective\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eBased on the Self-Determination Theory, this study examined the influences on adolescents\u0026rsquo; subjective well-being and revealed the chain mediating role of physical activity and socio-emotional competence between exercise motivation and subjective well-being.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eMethods\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMotives for Physical Activity Measure (MPAM-R), Subjective Well-Being Scale for Chinese Citizen (SWBS-CC20), Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), and The Delaware Social-Emotional Competency Scale (DSECS-S) were used to conduct questionnaire surveys on 1,530 junior high school students in Handan, Hebei Province. The data were statistically analyzed by using the SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 software.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e(1) There is a positive correlation between exercise motivation and subjective well-being, and the direct prediction of subjective well-being is significant; (2) Exercise motivation can indirectly influence adolescents\u0026rsquo; subjective well-being through the partial mediation of physical activities and social-emotional competency; (3) Exercise motivation may also indirectly affects adolescents\u0026rsquo; subjective well-being through the chain mediation of \u0026ldquo;physical activities and social-emotional competency\u0026rdquo;.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA higher EM may enhance adolescents\u0026rsquo; level of PA and SEC, which further contributes to their SWB, which plays an important role in enhancing adolescents\u0026rsquo; mental health and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Effect of Exercise Motivation on Adolescents’ Subjective Well-being: Chain Mediation of Physical Activity and Social-emotional Competency","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-04-01 07:28:06","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-5946578/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-04-03T12:37:16+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-04-01T10:56:06+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-03-31T01:28:45+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"200812164191052669423306654040707451577","date":"2025-03-31T01:20:16+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"202811418268704632303733351759714555760","date":"2025-03-30T19:15:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-03-30T06:31:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-03-27T06:17:12+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"BMC Public Health","date":"2025-03-25T02:09:24+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"bmc-public-health","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"pubh","sideBox":"Learn more about [BMC Public Health](http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/pubh/default.aspx","title":"BMC Public Health","twitterHandle":"@BMC_series","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC Series","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"05663067-14af-4edf-bedb-2eb87b2a0c5a","owner":[],"postedDate":"April 1st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-05-12T16:05:25+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-5946578","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22965-0","journal":{"identity":"bmc-public-health","isVorOnly":false,"title":"BMC Public Health"},"publishedOn":"2025-05-08 15:57:27","publishedOnDateReadable":"May 8th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-04-01 07:28:06","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s12889-025-22965-0","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22965-0","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-5946578","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-5946578","identity":"rs-5946578","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}