The relationship between physical activity and school adjustment in high school students: the chain mediating role of psychological resilience and self-control

Adaptive elements such as learning and interpersonal interactions of high school students need to be developed in the school environment. Thus, school adjustment is an essential developmental task in the academic growth of adolescent students. Based on the developmental task theory, combined with the conservation of resources theory and the strength model of self-control, this study aims to investigate the chain-mediated roles of psychological resilience and self-control in the physical activity and school adaptation of high school students, in terms of the internal development of the individual mentality. The study utilized whole population sampling and selected 2054 first- and second-year students from eight high schools in four regions of Jiangsu Province (M = 16.45 years, SD = 0.72 years). The questionnaires included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-S), Adolescent Psychological Resilience Scale, Self-Control Scale, and School Adjustment Scale for High School Students. Descriptive and correlation analyses were conducted for each variable, and a chain mediation model was constructed after controlling for the gender and region of the participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS and Process 4.0 macros. The direct and indirect associations of physical activity on high school students' school adjustment were significant, and the indirect associations included three pathways: first, the separate mediating association of psychological resilience; second, the separate mediating association of self-control; and third, the chain mediating association of psychological resilience and self-control. The study's results revealed the relationship and mechanism of action of physical activity on high school students' school adjustment, which provides essential theoretical and reference value for improving their school adjustment.