College students’ self-leadership and exercise adherence: The mediating role of self-control

Given the slow improvement in Chinese college students’ physical health and the limited effectiveness of existing interventions, this study investigated the structural relationships between self-leadership, self-control, and exercise adherence with the aim of improving college students' physical health. We collected data from 530 Chinese college students through a survey. The results of correlation and mediation analysis revealed that self-leadership positively predicted both self-control and exercise adherence, and self-control played a mediating role in the relationship between self-leadership and exercise adherence. These findings elucidate the mechanism through which college students’ self-leadership influences their exercise adherence, thereby validating the crucial roles of self-leadership and self-control. Specifically, enhancing self-management capabilities will contribute to individuals’ improved exercise adherence, providing significant implications for promoting exercise compliance among college students.