ArticleBMC psychology2025
The relationship between physical activity levels and depressive symptoms: a mediation analysis of flow state in university students.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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1 citing paper in PubMed.
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
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No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the relationships between physical activity levels, flow state, and depressive symptoms in university students, and to analyze the mediating role of flow state.
methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted, recruiting 3,326 university students from Shanghai Songjiang University Town. Participants were assessed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3 (PARS-3), the Flow State Scale (FSS), and the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Statistical analyses, including demographic statistics, preliminary analyses, and Pearson correlation, were performed using SPSS 29.0. Subsequently, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was conducted with AMOS 28.0 to test the mediation model, employing 5,000 bootstrap samples to assess the indirect effect.
resultsAmong the included students, correlation analyses revealed that physical activity level was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.125, p < 0.01) and positively correlated with flow state (r = 0.089, p < 0.01). Flow state was negatively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = -0.229, p < 0.01). The SEM demonstrated a good fit. Mediation analysis indicated a significant total effect of physical activity on depressive symptoms (β = -0.129, 95% CI [-0.163, -0.093], p < 0.001). The direct effect was significant (β = -0.105, 95% CI [-0.140, -0.071], p < 0.001), accounting for 81.4% of the total effect. The indirect effect through flow state was also significant (β = -0.024, 95% CI [-0.036, -0.013], p < 0.001), accounting for 18.6% of the total effect.
conclusionPhysical activity exerts both direct and indirect alleviating effects on depressive symptoms among university students, with flow state playing a significant partial mediating role. Intervention strategies should emphasize enhancing physical activity and optimizing exercise design to foster flow experiences.
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