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. 2025 Jul 15:16:1599041.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1599041. eCollection 2025.

The mediating role of sleep quality on the relationship between physical activity and social anxiety disorder among Chinese college freshmen

Yingying Liu #  1 , Zizheng Nie #  1 , Haokai Dong  2 , Linpei Shou  2 , Jiaoyang Xu  1 , Qinglong Cao  1 , Yitian Shi  2 , Chenyang Wu  1 , Mu Zhang  1 , Jun Yang  1 , Shufen Han  1
Affiliations

The mediating role of sleep quality on the relationship between physical activity and social anxiety disorder among Chinese college freshmen

Yingying Liu et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

Objectives: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) profoundly impacts the wellbeing of college students, both physically and psychologically. This study aimed to examine the mediating role of sleep quality on the relationship between physical activity and SAD among Chinese college freshmen.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study enrolling 1,408 participants through convenience sampling. Participants self-reported their physical activity, sleep quality, and social anxiety status using an electronic questionnaire.

Results: The overall prevalence of SAD was 33.05%. A significant negative association was observed between physical activity and SAD (adjusted β = -0.054, 95% CI: -0.053 to -0.001). Mediation analysis indicated that sleep quality may mediated 24.33% of the association between physical activity and SAD (indirect effect estimate = -0.009, direct effect estimate = -0.028, p < 0.01).

Conclusions: Less physical activity is associated with SAD among Chinese college freshmen, and this relationship is partially mediated by poor sleep quality. It is recommended that educational institutions implement programs to promote regular physical exercise and enhance sleep quality to mitigate the impacts of SAD in this population.

Keywords: college freshmen; mediation analysis; physical activity; sleep quality; social anxiety disorder.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Scatter plots showing correlations among different scores. Plot A illustrates a positive correlation between PSQI and IAS scores, with r = 0.231. Plot B shows a negative correlation between PARS-3 and PSQI scores, with r = -0.092. Plot C depicts a negative correlation between PARS-3 and IAS scores, with r = -0.107. Each plot includes a trend line and statistical significance (p-values).
Figure 1
Scatter plots of correlation of PARS-3 scores, IAS scores, and PSQI scores. (A) The correlation between PSQI scores and IAS scores; (B) The correlation between PARS-3 scores and PSQI scores; (C) The correlation between PARS-3 scores and IAS scores.
Mediation model illustrating relationships among physical activity, sleep quality, and social anxiety disorder. Physical activity negatively affects sleep quality (path a = -0.074**), which positively affects social anxiety disorder (path b = 0.234***). Physical activity directly impacts social anxiety disorder (path c = -0.075* and c' = -0.058*). Paths are marked with significance levels: * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001.
Figure 2
Model of mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between physical activity and social anxiety disorder among college freshmen.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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