Exercise adherence and subjective well-being: the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and outcome expectations

Purpose Although the rising prevalence of mental health issues among Chinese university students is influenced by multiple factors, it has been significantly associated with a lack of regular physical activity. The present study aims to examine the relationship between exercise adherence and subjective wellbeing among university students, specifically testing the mediating effects of self-efficacy and outcome expectations within a chain mediation framework. Methods A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among a sample of 435 undergraduate students at Shandong Normal University (50.57% male, 49.43% female). The study employed validated instruments, including the Exercise Adherence Scale, the Self-Efficacy Scale, the Outcome Expectations Scale, and the Subjective Wellbeing Scale. Correlation and regression analyses, integrated with chain mediation modeling, were employed to examine the associations between exercise adherence, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and subjective wellbeing. Results Exercise adherence was significantly associated with subjective wellbeing both directly (effect value = 0.043) and indirectly through self-efficacy (effect value = 0.036), outcome expectations (effect value = 0.023), and the chain mediation of self-efficacy and outcome expectations (effect value = 0.012). Regression analysis revealed that exercise adherence significantly and positively predicted subjective wellbeing (β = 0.397, p < 0.001). After accounting for the indirect associations via self-efficacy and outcome expectations, exercise adherence remained significantly and positively associated with subjective wellbeing (β = 0.150, p = 0.002). Conclusion Exercise adherence among Chinese university students is significantly and positively correlated with subjective wellbeing. This relationship is further linked to the chain mediating roles of self-efficacy and outcome expectations. Specifically, higher levels of exercise adherence are associated with greater self-efficacy, which relates to more positive outcome expectations, and both factors subsequently correlate with higher subjective wellbeing. Consequently, interventions focusing on these psychological variables may be beneficial in supporting the overall physical and mental health of university students.