A latent profile analysis of subjective exercise experiences among physically vulnerable college students and psychiatric symptoms correlates during three phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China

Abstract

IntroductionPhysical activity among college students since the COVID-19 pandemic was well studied; however, subjective exercise experience and the emotional response toward physical exercise received less attention.MethodsThe present study used latent profile analysis (LPA) to explore the latent class of subjective exercise experience among physically vulnerable college students who scored 59 points or less in tests under the National Student Physical Health Standard. Three non-duplicated samples at different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic were collected in March 2020 (N = 127), March 2021 (N = 118), and November 2021 (N = 206) respectively. Psychometrically validated scales, namely, Subjective Exercise Experiences Scale (SEES), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used to measure subjective exercise experience, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms.Results and discussionLPA revealed a 3-class solution for the subjective exercise experience of physically unfit students, namely, the “negative experience group” (30.82%), the “fatigue group” (41.91%), and the “positive experience group” (27.27%). Multinomial regression showed that probable anxiety [odds ratio (OR) = 0.12] was associated with the overall negative exercise experience while probable depression (OR = 0.19) was associated with psychological fatigue. Women (OR = 0.496) were more likely to experience overall negative exercise experience, and the outbreak of the COVID- 19 (OR = 2.14) pandemic influenced the psychological distress of the subjective exercise experience compared with the other two phases in the post-COVID- 19 era. Our findings provided significant implications for physical education targeting university students that interventions should be tailored differently for three profiles of the subjective exercise experience.

Psychological empowerment and exercising: The relationships between exercising, self‐stereotyping, agency, autonomy and physical self‐efficacy in non‐Western women

“…Moreover, the social role of being a mother may have additionally evoked extra pressure on women to self-stereotype. It aligns with the existing literature proposing that self-stereotyping ensures social inclusion and might decrease interpersonal pressures, which mothers might want to avoid (Li et al, 2023). In contrast, low levels of self-stereotyping might be related to the violation of social roles and hence explain why fewer children are possessed by women with lower levels of self-stereotyping.…”

The influence of control beliefs on the cardiovascular fitness of college students: the chain mediating effect of subjective exercise experience and exercise adherence

“…When individuals adhere to a regular exercise routine, they are more likely to experience positive feelings and emotions associated with exercise, such as increased energy [ 42 ], improved mood [ 31 ], and reduced stress [ 43 ]. Additionally, consistent exercise can lead to improvements in physical fitness, which can further enhance the subjective exercise experience, highlighting the importance of establishing and maintaining a regular exercise routine for overall well-being [ 44 ]. Specifically, there is an interactive relationship between college students’ control beliefs, subjective exercise experience, and exercise adherence.…”