Exercise adherence and meaning in life: The chain mediating effect of perceived social support and optimism

We explored the relationship between exercise adherence and meaning in life in college students. We chose 945 college students using a convenience sampling method. Exercise adherence was positively correlated with meaning in life. Perceived social support and optimism each played a significant mediating role between exercise adherence and meaning in life. Exercise adherence not only directly predicted meaning in life, but also indirectly predicted meaning in life through the independent mediation of perceived social support and optimism, as well as the chain mediation of the two. This study enriches the research field of the value of physical education and provides more theoretical guidance for practical physical education teaching, thus promoting the sense of life meaning of college students.