Physical exercise and school adaptation among junior high school students: the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and mental health.

This study examined the association between physical exercise and school adaptation among junior high school students, and tested the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and mental health. A total of 500 students (239 boys, 261 girls) completed the Physical Activity Rating Scale, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Mental Health Rating Scale for junior high school students, and School Adaptation Scale for junior high school students. Pearson correlation analysis and PROCESS Model 6 were used, with gender and grade controlled. Physical exercise was positively correlated with school adaptation (r = 0.534, p < 0.001). Mediation analysis showed a significant direct association between physical exercise and school adaptation (Effect = 0.0025, SE = 0.0007, 95% CI [0.0011, 0.0038]) and a significant total indirect pathway (Effect = 0.0048, BootSE = 0.0007, 95% CI [0.0035, 0.0061]). The pathway through mental health accounted for 52.78% of the total effect, and the chain pathway through self-efficacy and mental health accounted for 4.17%. The pathway through self-efficacy alone was relatively weak and should be interpreted with caution. These findings suggest that physical exercise is closely associated with school adaptation, partly through mental health and the sequential relationship between self-efficacy and mental health. Given the cross-sectional design, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.