The relationship between physical activity and academic achievement in middle school students: the chain mediating role of social support and learning engagement

Abstract The academic achievement of middle school students has always been a hot topic that scholars pay attention to. Objective: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and academic achievement of middle school students, and to verify the mediating role of social support and learning engagement between them. Methods: 3230 middle school students in Guangdong Province were investigated and tested by physical activity scale, academic achievement scale, perceptive social support scale and learning engagement scale. Results: (1) Boys scored slightly higher than girls in physical activity and social support, but slightly lower in academic achievement and engagement. There were some differences in physical activity, academic achievement, social support and learning engagement among middle schools in Guangdong Province (P<0.05). (2) Physical activity had a significant positive correlation with academic achievement (r=0.37, p < 0.01), and physical activity had a significant direct path to academic achievement (β=-0.025, t=2.052, p < 0.01). Physical activity positively predicted social support (β=0.085, t=1.552, p < 0.01) and learning engagement (β=0.082, t=0.562, p < 0.01). Social support significantly predicted learning engagement (β=0.096, t=3.376, p < 0.01) and academic achievement (β=-0.038, t=1.568, p < 0.01). Learning engagement positively predicted academic achievement (β=0.054, t=1.558, p < 0.01). (3) Social support and learning engagement play a significant mediating role between physical activity and academic achievement, and the mediating effect accounts for 90.25% of the total effect. The mediating effect was composed of three pathways: physical activity → social support → academic achievement (13.82%), physical activity → learning engagement → academic achievement (26.02%), physical activity → social support → learning engagement → academic achievement (50.41%). Conclusion: Physical activity can significantly positively predict middle school students' social support, learning engagement and academic achievement, that is, physical activity can not only directly predict middle school students' academic achievement, but also directly predict academic achievement through the independent mediating effect of social support and learning engagement, and indirectly predict academic achievement through the chain mediating effect of social support and learning engagement.