A Low Degree of Physical Exercise Adherence in College Students: Analyzing the Impact of Interpersonal Skills on Exercise Adherence in College Students

Physical exercise adherence (PEA) is multifaceted and significantly influenced by elements such as physical prowess, personality traits, psychosocial traits, and demographics. At present, there are problems such as the low degree of PEA in college students. Studies have shown that exercise adherence (EA) can be improved by adjusting psychological factors. Social abilities are one of the important manifestations of mental health, so this study aims to explore the intrinsic influence mechanism of social abilities on college students' PEA. Shanghai Sports University consistently ranks first among Chinese institutions that specialize in sports in the list of the best Chinese institutions. Therefore, this study decided to survey Shanghai University students. Valid data were collected from 1278 students from 6 universities in Shanghai using a questionnaire survey method. The ordinary least square (OLS) regression analysis technique was utilized in the study. The study has shown that (1) boys have stronger social abilities than girls; (2) the exercise attitude and exercise persistence of junior students are better than those of freshmen and sophomores; (3) social abilities, emotion regulation strategies, exercise needs satisfaction, exercise attitude, and EA were significantly positively associated with each other. Emotion regulation strategies and exercise attitude had a negative predictive effect on PEA, and exercise needs satisfaction and social abilities had a significant predictive effect on exercise adherence. (4) Exercise needs satisfaction and exercise attitude were used as mediating variables to regulate the influence of college students' social abilities on EA.