Physical activity and self-efficacy in college students: the mediating role of grit and the moderating role of gender.

Abstract

There is a paucity of knowledge concerning the psychological variables that serve to facilitate the connection between physical activity and self-efficacy, and the factors capable of moderating these pathways. This study aimed to examine the relationship between physical activity and self-efficacy among college students, with a focus on the mediating effect of grit and the moderating effect of gender. This study recruited 3,228 undergraduate students from a university in Shanghai, China. They completed the General Self-Efficacy Scale, the Short Grit Scale, and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 26.0 and the Process v4.0 plugin. Physical activity had both a direct effect on self-efficacy (β=0.07, 95% CI [0.04-0.11]) and an indirect effect through the two dimensions of grit: perseverance of effort (β=0.06, 95% CI [0.04-0.07]) and consistency of interest (β=0.03, 95% CI [0.02-0.04]). The mediating effect explained 53.27% of the total effect. Furthermore, gender moderated the relationship between perseverance of effort and self-efficacy, with a stronger effect observed in males (β=0.08, t=3.27, p<0.01). The results revealed that grit is an underlying psychological mechanism that links physical activity and self-efficacy. Moreover, gender moderates the effect of perseverance of effort on self-efficacy, with a stronger effect observed in males. These findings have practical implications for educators to design tailored physical activity interventions that foster grit and self-efficacy among college students.