ArticleBMC psychiatry2025
Network analysis of interrelationships among physical activity, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety in college students.
Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 12 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
12 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Prevalence of sleep disturbance among chinese college students: an updated meta-analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2026Pooled it
- Using network science to examine temporal relationships between 24-hour movement behaviors and depression during the transition to college: protocol for a prospective cohort study.Journal of activity, sedentary and sleep behaviors · 2026Article
- Using Network Science to Examine Temporal Relationships between 24-Hour Movement Behaviors and Depression During the Transition to College: Protocol for a Prospective Cohort Study.Research square · 2026Article
- Association of psychological symptoms with poor sleep quality in adults: a cross-sectional network analysis and effect modification by thyroid hormones.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Article
- Physical activity and depressive symptoms among college students: positive mental health as a mediator.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Network analysis of lifestyle behaviors and anxiety in children and adolescents: gender and school-stage heterogeneity.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The impact of physical activity on executive function in college students: the chain mediating role of anxiety and sleep quality.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- The internal structure of transformational leadership as perceived by clinical nurses: a network analysis.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Physical activity and depressive symptoms among Chinese university students: Grit as a mediator.PloS one · 2026Article
- Sex Moderates the Mediating Effect of Physical Activity in the Relationship Between Dietary Habits and Sleep Quality in University Students.Nutrients · 2025Article
- Correction: Network analysis of interrelationships among physical activity, sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety in college students.BMC psychiatry · 2025Article
- Physical activity, resilience, and depressive symptoms in Chinese college students: gender differences in mediating pathways'.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundPhysical activity, sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression are interrelated, but prior research focused on overall scores, neglecting symptom interactions and triggering effects. This study employed network analysis to explore these connections from a symptom-network perspective.
methodsPhysical Activity Scale-3, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale, Self-Reating Depression Scale, and Self-Reating Anxiety Scale were conducted on 4683 college students from September to October 2024 by convenience sampling method. Spearman correlation is used to explore the relationship between these variables. Network analysis revealed structural connections between physical activity and sleep disturbances, identifying core and bridge symptoms. Flow network further explored the impacts of physical activity and sleep disturbances on depression and anxiety.
resultsPhysical activity was negatively correlated with sleep disturbances, depression, and anxiety (p < 0.05), while sleep disturbances was positively correlated with depression and anxiety (p < 0.01). In the symptom network of physical activity and sleep disturbances, "sleep quality" (EI = 0.009) and "daytime dysfunction"(EI = 0.827) were the core symptoms, while "daytime dysfunction" (BEI = 0.035) and "intensity of physical activity" (BEI = 0.015) were the bridge symptoms. In the flow networks, "physical activity frequency" (r=-0.14) and "daytime dysfunction"(r = 0.13) were particularly correlated with depression. "Sleep disruptions"(r = 0.18) and "physical activity frequency" (r=-0.14) showed a strong correlation with anxiety.
conclusionThe study identified the core and bridge symptoms of the physical activity and sleep disturbances symptom network, as well as key symptoms linked to anxiety and depression. Targeting these symptoms could disrupt their interactions, prevent negative outcomes, and enhance college student well-being.
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