SynthesisFrontiers in psychology2025
The influence of physical activity on mental well-being in college students: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Frontiers in psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- The influence of outdoor physical activity on the physical and mental health of college students: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Comparative Experimental Study on How Physical Education Influences Psychological Well-Being and Cognitive Development Among College Students.International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie · 2026Article
- Screen use, health status, and self-perceived academic performance among Swedish dental and nursing students: an exploratory cross-sectional survey study.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Associations Among Physical Exercise, Social Support, and Meaning in Life in College Students: An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Adolescent Sports Learning Interest and Subjective Well-Being: The Chain Mediating Role of Social Anxiety and Sleep Quality.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Effects of a Video-Guided Active Break Programme on the Self-Esteem and Socio-Emotional Well-Being of Schoolchildren with Special Educational Needs: Active Classes Project.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The role of general self-efficacy and generalized anxiety symptoms in the relationship between exercise adherence and psychological resilience among college students.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Exploring the Role of Sleep and Physical Activity in Academic Stress, Motivation, Self-Efficacy, and Dropout Intention Among Italian University Students.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2025Article
- Preservice teachers' attitudes toward pedagogical humour: the role of physical activity, sociodemographic factors, and academic discipline.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- The bidirectional relationship between physical exercise and social self-efficacy: a cross-lagged model analysis of the mediating role of peer acceptance.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Introduction: Physical activity (PA) is widely recognized for its benefits on mental well-being, yet evidence regarding its specific impact on college students remains insufficient. This systematic review investigates the association between PA and mental well-being in college students, focusing on key outcomes such as self-esteem, depression, and subjective well-being. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in Web of Science and Scopus up to August 2024 using Boolean operators (e.g., "physical activity," "mental well-being," "college students"). Inclusion criteria targeted studies with quantitative or qualitative data on PA and well-being outcomes in higher education populations. After screening 746 abstracts and applying exclusion criteria (e.g., non-college populations, tangential PA focus), 28 articles were selected for full-text review following PRISMA guidelines. Results: The review synthesized findings across three dimensions: (1) PA positively correlates with self-esteem, though gender and cultural biases may influence outcomes; (2) weak negative correlations ( Discussion: While PA demonstrates a positive association with mental well-being in college students, inconsistencies in study designs and mechanistic explanations highlight the need for future research to clarify causal pathways, differentiate PA types/intensity, and standardize well-being metrics. Universities should prioritize PA promotion to support student well-being during this critical developmental stage.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.