IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i9p3595-d351830.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mechanism Between Physical Activity and Academic Anxiety: Evidence from Pakistan

Author

Listed:
  • Sumaira Kayani

    (Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China
    Department of Education, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Punjab 46300, Pakistan)

  • Jin Wang

    (Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China)

  • Michele Biasutti

    (Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education and Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padova, 35139 Padova, Italy)

  • María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez

    (Department of Didactics of Plastic and Body Musical Expression, University of Jaen, 23071 Jaén, Spain)

  • Tayyaba Kiyani

    (Department of Physical Education, Zhejiang University, XiXi Campus, 148 TianMuShan Road, Hangzhou 310028, China)

  • Saima Kayani

    (Department of Education, Women University Azad Jammu, and Kashmir, Bagh 12500, Pakistan)

Abstract

A plethora of research has explored the benefits of physical activities on several variables such as academic performances, quality of life, fitness, levels of stress, and depression. However, less research considered the impact of physical activity on academic anxiety, self-enhancement, and self-criticism. This study examines the influence of physical activity on academic anxiety with self-enhancement and self-criticism playing a mediating role. Data for this model has been collected by using structured questionnaires administered to 418 Pakistani university students (undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate) aged between 18 and 36 years old. Structural equation modeling through analysis of moment structures (AMOS) was applied to find that physical activity significantly reduces academic anxiety and self-criticism, and it develops self-enhancement. Further, self-enhancement was negatively associated with academic anxiety while self-criticism is directly related to academic anxiety. More importantly, self-enhancement and self-criticism partially mediated between physical activity and academic anxiety of university students in Pakistan. This research recommends governments to support physical activity programs for university students.

Suggested Citation

  • Sumaira Kayani & Jin Wang & Michele Biasutti & María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez & Tayyaba Kiyani & Saima Kayani, 2020. "Mechanism Between Physical Activity and Academic Anxiety: Evidence from Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-17, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3595-:d:351830
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3595/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3595/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sumaira Kayani & Tayyaba Kiyani & Jin Wang & María Luisa Zagalaz Sánchez & Saima Kayani & Haroona Qurban, 2018. "Physical Activity and Academic Performance: The Mediating Effect of Self-Esteem and Depression," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Ullrich-French, Sarah & Cole, Amy N. & Montgomery, Anna K., 2016. "Evaluation development for a physical activity positive youth development program for girls," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 67-76.
    3. Zhanjia Zhang & Weiyun Chen, 2019. "A Systematic Review of the Relationship Between Physical Activity and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 1305-1322, April.
    4. Yasmeen Gul & Zahid Sultan & Mehdi Moeinaddini & Gul Ahmed Jokhio, 2019. "Measuring the differences of neighbourhood environment and physical activity in gated and non-gated neighbourhoods in Karachi, Pakistan," Journal of Urban Design, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(3), pages 494-513, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Tayyaba Kiyani & Sumaira Kayani & Saima Kayani & Si Qi & Michele Biasutti, 2022. "A School-Based Multilevel Intervention to Increase Physical Activity of Adolescents in Pakistan: From a Social-Ecological Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Yikeranmu Yiming & Bing Shi & Abdulelah A. Alghamdi & Sumaira Kayani & Michele Biasutti, 2023. "Social Support and Self-Efficacy as Mediators between Internal Locus of Control and Adolescents’ Physical Activity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-11, March.
    3. Tayyaba Kiyani & Sumaira Kayani & Saima Kayani & Iffat Batool & Si Qi & Michele Biasutti, 2021. "Individual, Interpersonal, and Organizational Factors Affecting Physical Activity of School Adolescents in Pakistan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(13), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Andreea Gabriela Lazăr & Florin Valentin Leuciuc, 2021. "Study Concerning the Physical Fitness of Romanian Students and Its Effects on Their Health-Related Quality of Life," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-11, June.
    5. Sumaira Kayani & Tayyaba Kiyani & Saima Kayani & Tony Morris & Michele Biasutti & Jin Wang, 2021. "Physical Activity and Anxiety of Chinese University Students: Mediation of Self-System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sumaira Kayani & Tayyaba Kiyani & Saima Kayani & Tony Morris & Michele Biasutti & Jin Wang, 2021. "Physical Activity and Anxiety of Chinese University Students: Mediation of Self-System," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, April.
    2. Asifa Iqbal & Tahira Shaukat & Humaira Nazir, 2024. "Safety Perceptions and Micro-Segregation: Exploring Gated- and Non-Gated-Community Dynamics in Quetta, Pakistan," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-20, May.
    3. Georges Ngnouwal Eloundou & Blaise Ondoua Beyene & Marius Messoh Lonte, 2023. "In pursuit of Happiness in developing countries: does the diffusion of ICT matter?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 43(4), pages 1730-1740.
    4. Kathrin Wunsch & Janis Fiedler & Philip Bachert & Alexander Woll, 2021. "The Tridirectional Relationship among Physical Activity, Stress, and Academic Performance in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-18, January.
    5. Ozgur Yayla & Arif Aytekin & Fatih Uslu & Gozde Seval Ergun & Huseyin Keles & Yigit Guven, 2023. "How Does the Experience Quality of Recreational Activities Organized within the Scope of Public Health Affect Perceived Value, Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions of Individuals?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(6), pages 1-16, March.
    6. Micael Dahlen & Helge Thorbjørnsen & Hallgeir Sjåstad & Petra von Heideken Wågert & Charlotta Hellström & Birgitta Kerstis & Daniel Lindberg & Jonas Stier & Maria Elvén, 2021. "Changes in Physical Activity Are Associated with Corresponding Changes in Psychological Well-Being: A Pandemic Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(20), pages 1-9, October.
    7. Chyi Liang & Pei-Ling Wu & Po-Fu Lee & Chien-Chang Ho, 2021. "Association of Regular Leisure-Time Physical Activity with Happiness among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Taiwan," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-10, August.
    8. Laura Cabiedes-Miragaya & Cecilia Diaz-Mendez & Isabel García-Espejo, 2021. "Well-Being and the Lifestyle Habits of the Spanish Population: The Association between Subjective Well-Being and Eating Habits," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-13, February.
    9. Jiayu Li & Zan Huang & Wenna Si & Tianyi Shao, 2022. "The Effects of Physical Activity on Positive Emotions in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Elina Engberg & Carola Ray & Suvi Määttä & Rejane A. O. Figueiredo & Marja H. Leppänen & Riikka Pajulahti & Leena Koivusilta & Liisa Korkalo & Kaija Nissinen & Henna Vepsäläinen & Nina Sajaniemi & Mai, 2022. "Parental Happiness Associates With the Co-occurrence of Preschool-Aged Children’s Healthy Energy Balance-Related Behaviors," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 1493-1507, April.
    11. Hernández-Pizarro, Helena M. & Maynou, Laia, 2024. "The effects of physical activity prescription on mental health: evidence from primary care," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 125665, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    12. Hsin-Yu An & Wei Chen & Cheng-Wei Wang & Hui-Fei Yang & Wan-Ting Huang & Sheng-Yu Fan, 2020. "The Relationships between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction and Happiness among Young, Middle-Aged, and Older Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-10, July.
    13. Liz O’Brien & Jack Forster, 2021. "Physical Activity Supporting Connection to Nature, and Helping to Maintain Wellbeing during the Covid-19 Restrictions in England," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, April.
    14. František Chmelík & Karel Frömel & Dorota Groffik & Michal Šafář & Josef Mitáš, 2021. "Does Vigorous Physical Activity Contribute to Adolescent Life Satisfaction?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-12, February.
    15. HangUk Cheon & Seijun Lim, 2020. "Pursuing Sustainable Happiness through Participation in Exercise for South Korean Students: Structural Relationships among Exercise, Mental Health Factors, School Satisfaction, and Happiness," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-13, May.
    16. Dr. Zarina Akhtar & Rabia Kishwer & Hafiza Bushra Wazir & Syed Muhammad Shoaib Fehran & Dr. Shabnam Razaq, 2023. "Effects of Depression, Aggression, and Self-Concept on the Academic Achievement of University Students," Journal of Policy Research (JPR), Research Foundation for Humanity (RFH), vol. 9(2), pages 443-451.
    17. Javier Piñeiro-Cossio & Antonio Fernández-Martínez & Alberto Nuviala & Raquel Pérez-Ordás, 2021. "Psychological Wellbeing in Physical Education and School Sports: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.
    18. Oliver W. A. Wilson & Chris Whatman & Simon Walters & Sierra Keung & Dion Enari & Andy Rogers & Sarah-Kate Millar & Lesley Ferkins & Erica Hinckson & Jeremy Hapeta & Michael Sam & Justin Richards, 2022. "The Value of Sport: Wellbeing Benefits of Sport Participation during Adolescence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(14), pages 1-9, July.
    19. Vu Bich Ngoc & Nguyen Le Hoang Thuy To Quyen, 2023. "Investigating determinants of quality of life: The case of older people in Ho Chi Minh City," HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE - SOCIAL SCIENCES, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY, vol. 13(1), pages 160-176.
    20. Xinqiao Liu & Xueheng Gao & Siqing Ping, 2019. "Post-1990s College Students Academic Sustainability: The Role of Negative Emotions, Achievement Goals, and Self-efficacy on Academic Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-18, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3595-:d:351830. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.