The mediating role of psychological inflexibility in the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms among college students

• Published in: BMC public health Vol. 25; no. 1; pp. 2518 - 8
• Main Authors: Dou, Xiumin, Cai, Erkang, Liu, Yiting, Chen, Tianle, Tan, Teck Cheng, Gu, Qian, Huang, Tao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BioMed Central Ltd 21.07.2025; BioMed Central; BMC
• Subjects: Adaptability (Psychology); Adolescent; Adult; Analysis; China - epidemiology; College students; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Depression, Mental; Depressive symptoms; Education; Emotions; Epidemiology; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Female; Flexibility; Health aspects; Humans; Likert scale; Male; Mediation; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Mental health; Physical activity; Psychological aspects; Psychological flexibility; Questionnaires; Risk factors; Students; Students - psychology; Students - statistics & numerical data; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Universities; Young Adult; China; Depressive symptoms; Psychological flexibility; College students; Physical activity; Mental health
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-23673-5

Depressive symptoms are prevalent mental health issues among college students. Physical activity has been recognized as a potential protective factor. However, the mechanisms through which physical activity alleviates depressive symptoms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between physical activity, psychological flexibility, psychological inflexibility, and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. The mediating roles of psychological flexibility and psychological inflexibility on these associations were also examined. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1205 college students from four universities in Shanghai, China. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10) were used to assess physical activity and depressive symptoms, respectively. Psychological flexibility and psychological inflexibility were measured using the Multidimensional Psychological Flexibility Inventory Short Form (MPFI-24). PROCESS macro models were used to analyze the mediating effects of psychological flexibility and psychological inflexibility on the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms. The results showed a significant negative correlation between physical activity and depressive symptoms (r = -0.15, p < 0.01). Psychological inflexibility played a partial mediation role in the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms (indirect effect: -0.24, 95% CI: -0.48 ~ -0.01). However, psychological flexibility did not mediate the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms. The study suggested that psychological inflexibility partially mediated the association between physical activity and depressive symptoms among college students. Interventions targeting physical activity and psychological inflexibility may be effective strategies for lowering depressive symptoms in this population.