An Empirical Study on Relationship between Physical Activity Volume and Depression in College Students: Resilience as a Mediator and Sports Motivation as a Moderator

Abstract:
In recent years, depression in college students has become a significant problem affecting the entire society, and there is a growing interest in whether physical activity can be an alternative treatment for depression in the college population. Based on the questionnaire data of 606 Chinese college students, a moderated mediation model was used to determine the influence mechanism of physical activity on depression in college students with resilience as a mediator and sport motivation as a moderator. Results revealed that (a) sport motivation volume negatively predicts depression in college students. (b) resilience mainly mediated the relationship between physical activity volume and depression in college students. (c) under a low level of sport motivation, the increase in physical activity can not regulate depression in college students but can promote the development of elasticity. In addition, resilience has a considerably stronger mediating influence on depression in college students. Under a high level of sport motivation, physical activity can significantly regulate depression in college students. Furthermore, physical activity considerably strengthens the impact resilience has on individuals.