{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:25:36Z","timestamp":1787030736115,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":67,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787011200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Objective<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>This study examined the association between integrated physical education course experience and exercise adherence tendency among undergraduates in Sichuan Province, China. It focused on indirect associations involving exercise psychological need satisfaction and health belief and on configurations associated with high exercise adherence tendency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 3,391 undergraduates from 25 universities in Sichuan Province, China. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine a theory-informed chain mediation model linking integrated physical education course experience, exercise psychological need satisfaction, health belief, and exercise adherence tendency. Bootstrap analysis with 5,000 resamples assessed direct and indirect associations, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) identified sufficient configurations associated with high exercise adherence tendency.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>\n                      Integrated physical education course experience showed a positive direct association with exercise adherence tendency (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.131, 95% CI [0.061, 0.198]). The specific indirect associations through exercise psychological need satisfaction (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.110), health belief (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.185), and the sequential pathway through exercise psychological need satisfaction and health belief (\n                      <jats:italic>\u03b2<\/jats:italic>\n                      =\u202f0.209) were significant. The sequential pathway accounted for the largest specific indirect proportion of the total association (32.86%), and the total indirect association accounted for 79.40%. The fsQCA identified six partially overlapping sufficient configurations (solution coverage\u202f=\u202f0.516; solution consistency\u202f=\u202f0.891). Health belief appeared in all six configurations, and exercise psychological need satisfaction appeared in five.\n                    <\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Exercise adherence tendency among undergraduates in Sichuan Province was associated with the interplay of course experience, psychological need satisfaction, and health belief. The SEM and fsQCA findings provide complementary variable-oriented and configurational evidence. Given the cross-sectional design, the results should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1902785","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:28:15Z","timestamp":1787027295000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Integrated physical education course experience and exercise adherence tendency among undergraduates in Sichuan Province, China: chain mediation and configurational evidence from SEM and fsQCA"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jun","family":"Xia","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Sports Institute, Chengdu University of Technology","place":["Chengdu, Sichuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yu-Xuan","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sports Institute, Chengdu University of Technology","place":["Chengdu, Sichuan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"123","DOI":"10.1249\/01.mss.0000876580.84487.36","article-title":"Internalization of health and body exercise participation motives impacts acute subjective exercise experiences: 498","volume":"54","author":"Biscardi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Med. Sci. Sports Exerc."},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"333","DOI":"10.1177\/0190272516628298","article-title":"Lies, damned lies, and survey self-reports? Identity as a cause of measurement bias","volume":"79","author":"Brenner","year":"2016","journal-title":"Soc. Psychol. Q."},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"418","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-17621-4","article-title":"Key influences on university students' physical activity: a systematic review using the theoretical domains framework and the COM-B model of human behaviour","volume":"24","author":"Brown","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"371","DOI":"10.1007\/s40279-019-01063-3","article-title":"Physical literacy, physical activity and health: toward an evidence-informed conceptual model","volume":"49","author":"Cairney","year":"2019","journal-title":"Sports Med."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1448827","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1448827","article-title":"Does exercise adherence during the COVID-19 pandemic contribute to improved subjective well-being? A cross-sectional study","volume":"15","author":"Chen","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1981","DOI":"10.1007\/s10389-022-01776-2","article-title":"The effect of the health belief model-based educational program on physical activity beliefs and behaviors of university students","volume":"31","author":"\u00c7iftci","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Public Health"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1250152","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2024.1250152","article-title":"Effect of health belief model-based training and social support on the physical activity of overweight middle-aged women: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"12","author":"Faghih","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"393","DOI":"10.5465\/amj.2011.60263120","article-title":"Building better causal theories: a fuzzy set approach to typologies in organization research","volume":"54","author":"Fiss","year":"2011","journal-title":"Acad. Manag. J."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"39","DOI":"10.1177\/002224378101800104","article-title":"Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error","volume":"18","author":"Fornell","year":"1981","journal-title":"J. Mark. Res."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3192","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jbusres.2015.12.008","article-title":"Common methods variance detection in business research","volume":"69","author":"Fuller","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Bus. Res."},{"key":"ref11","volume-title":"Health Behavior and Health Education: Theory, Research, and Practice","author":"Glanz","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"906297","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.906297","article-title":"The current health belief of exercise conditions of Chinese college students and ways of improvements: an analysis based on the health belief model","volume":"13","author":"Gong","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"482","DOI":"10.1177\/1476127018786487","article-title":"Studying configurations with qualitative comparative analysis: best practices in strategy and organization research","volume":"16","author":"Greckhamer","year":"2018","journal-title":"Strateg. Organ."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0331876","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0331876","article-title":"The influence of teacher support on student engagement in physical education among college students: the mediating effects of autonomous motivation and self-efficacy","volume":"20","author":"Guo","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref15","volume-title":"Multivariate data analysis","author":"Hair","year":"2019"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"115","DOI":"10.1007\/s11747-014-0403-8","article-title":"A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling","volume":"43","author":"Henseler","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Acad. Mark. Sci."},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/10705519909540118","article-title":"Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: conventional criteria versus new alternatives","volume":"6","author":"Hu","year":"1999","journal-title":"Struct. Equ. Model."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/13548506.2025.2575404","article-title":"A mediation model of physical activity and mental health: exploring the effects of basic psychological needs, social support, and exercise tolerance","author":"Huang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Psychol. Health Med."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21582440251355777","DOI":"10.1177\/21582440251355777","article-title":"Investigating the relationship between psychological capital and physical activity among university students: the mediating effects of health consciousness and health motivation","volume":"15","author":"Huang","year":"2025","journal-title":"SAGE Open"},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1695542","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1695542","article-title":"Influencing factors of physical exercise behavior among Chinese female university students: a configurational analysis based on fsQCA","volume":"13","author":"Jia","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1717552","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2025.1717552","article-title":"Physical education course satisfaction scale for Chinese college students: development and psychometric properties","volume":"13","author":"Jin","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front. Public Health"},{"key":"ref22","volume-title":"Principles and Practice of Structural Equation Modeling","author":"Kline","year":"2016"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1027\/1015-5759\/a000120","article-title":"Validity and reliability of the Chinese translation of basic psychological needs in exercise scale","volume":"29","author":"Liu","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. J. Psychol. Assess."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"23","DOI":"10.1037\/1082-989X.12.1.23","article-title":"Bias in cross-sectional analyses of longitudinal mediation","volume":"12","author":"Maxwell","year":"2007","journal-title":"Psychol. Methods"},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"437","DOI":"10.1037\/a0028085","article-title":"Identifying careless responses in survey data","volume":"17","author":"Meade","year":"2012","journal-title":"Psychol. Methods"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"382","DOI":"10.1080\/00336297.2025.2451970","article-title":"Analysis of the application and hybridization of pedagogical models in physical education on basic psychological needs satisfaction and motivational mechanisms: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"77","author":"Melguizo-Ib\u00e1\u00f1ez","year":"2025","journal-title":"Quest"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"42","DOI":"10.1186\/1748-5908-6-42","article-title":"The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions","volume":"6","author":"Michie","year":"2011","journal-title":"Implement. Sci."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"735","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ypmed.2004.09.016","article-title":"Is social desirability associated with self-reported physical activity?","volume":"40","author":"Motl","year":"2005","journal-title":"Prev. Med."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"670","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-023-15588-w","article-title":"Application of theoretical domains framework to explore the enablers and barriers to physical activity among university staff and students: a qualitative study","volume":"23","author":"Ndupu","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"325","DOI":"10.1177\/1745691612447309","article-title":"Self-determination theory applied to health contexts: a meta-analysis","volume":"7","author":"Ng","year":"2012","journal-title":"Perspect. Psychol. Sci."},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1701809","DOI":"10.3389\/fspor.2026.1701809","article-title":"Pedagogical value and emotional impact of fitness testing in secondary physical education: student and teacher perspectives","volume":"8","author":"Nolan","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front. Sports Act. Living"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102879","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychsport.2025.102879","article-title":"Self-determination theory informed research for promoting physical activity: contributions, debates, and future directions","volume":"80","author":"Ntoumanis","year":"2025","journal-title":"Psychol. Sport Exerc."},{"key":"ref33","volume-title":"Psychometric Theory","author":"Nunnally","year":"1994"},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.1037\/0021-9010.88.5.879","article-title":"Common method biases in behavioral research: a critical review of the literature and recommended remedies","volume":"88","author":"Podsakoff","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Appl. Psychol."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"879","DOI":"10.3758\/BRM.40.3.879","article-title":"Asymptotic and resampling strategies for assessing and comparing indirect effects in multiple mediator models","volume":"40","author":"Preacher","year":"2008","journal-title":"Behav. Res. Methods"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.7208\/chicago\/9780226702797.001.0001","volume-title":"Redesigning social Inquiry: Fuzzy sets and beyond","author":"Ragin","year":"2008"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0337226","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0337226","article-title":"Influence of exercise commitment on exercise adherence among undergraduate students: chain mediation role of health beliefs and exercise behavior","volume":"20","author":"Ren","year":"2025","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"715","DOI":"10.1007\/s12160-015-9704-5","article-title":"Can the affective response to exercise predict future motives and physical activity behavior? A systematic review of published evidence","volume":"49","author":"Rhodes","year":"2015","journal-title":"Ann. Behav. Med."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1177\/2515245917745629","article-title":"Thinking clearly about correlations and causation: graphical causal models for observational data","volume":"1","author":"Rohrer","year":"2018","journal-title":"Adv. Methods Pract. Psychol. Sci."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"328","DOI":"10.1177\/109019817400200403","article-title":"Historical origins of the health belief model","volume":"2","author":"Rosenstock","year":"1974","journal-title":"Health Educ. Monogr."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"175","DOI":"10.1177\/109019818801500203","article-title":"Social learning theory and the health belief model","volume":"15","author":"Rosenstock","year":"1988","journal-title":"Health Educ. Q."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"68","DOI":"10.1037\/0003-066X.55.1.68","article-title":"Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being","volume":"55","author":"Ryan","year":"2000","journal-title":"Am. Psychol."},{"key":"ref43","first-page":"107","article-title":"Self-determination theory and physical activity: the dynamics of motivation in development and wellness","volume":"6","author":"Ryan","year":"2009","journal-title":"Hellen. J. Psychol."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"228","DOI":"10.5336\/sportsci.2024-102375","article-title":"The effect of exercise health belief and mental well-being level on physical activity level: cross-sectional study","volume":"16","author":"Sahan","year":"2024","journal-title":"Turk. Klin. J. Sports Sci."},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1017\/CBO9781139004244","volume-title":"Set-Theoretic Methods for the social Sciences: A guide to Qualitative Comparative Analysis","author":"Schneider","year":"2012"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1103109","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1103109","article-title":"Exercise health belief model mediates the relationship between physical activity and peer support among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional survey","volume":"14","author":"Sheng","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"411","DOI":"10.1348\/000709904X22359","article-title":"A test of self-determination theory in school physical education","volume":"75","author":"Standage","year":"2005","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1232","DOI":"10.1016\/S2214-109X(24)00150-5","article-title":"National, regional, and global trends in insufficient physical activity among adults from 2000 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 507 population-based surveys with 5.7 million participants","volume":"12","author":"Strain","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Glob. Health"},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"40","DOI":"10.16469\/j.css.202405005","article-title":"Study of the interplay between health communication through sports social media and sports behavior of adolescents and youths: the mediating role of health beliefs","volume":"44","author":"Sun","year":"2024","journal-title":"China Sport Sci."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1186\/1479-5868-9-78","article-title":"Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: a systematic review","volume":"9","author":"Teixeira","year":"2012","journal-title":"Int. J. Behav. Nutr. Phys. Act."},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"11827","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph191811827","article-title":"The relationship between social support and exercise adherence among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating effects of subjective exercise experience and commitment","volume":"19","author":"Tian","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref52","volume-title":"Quality Physical Education (QPE): Guidelines for Policy Makers","year":"2015"},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"103","DOI":"10.5539\/jel.v14n6p103","article-title":"Why test me if you don't teach me? Rethinking physical education through a lifelong learning lens","volume":"14","author":"Uraipong","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Educ. Learn."},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1444","DOI":"10.1037\/edu0000420","article-title":"Self-determination theory applied to physical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"112","author":"Vasconcellos","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"179","DOI":"10.1207\/s15327841mpee1003_4","article-title":"Development and initial validation of a measure of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in exercise: the basic psychological needs in exercise scale","volume":"10","author":"Vlachopoulos","year":"2006","journal-title":"Meas. Phys. Educ. Exerc. Sci."},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.15930\/j.cnki.wtxb.2016.03.012","article-title":"Influential mechanism of amateur sport group cohesiveness on individual's exercise adherence: a regulatory two-layer intermediary model","volume":"50","author":"Wang","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Wuhan Sports Univ."},{"key":"ref57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e0338572","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0338572","article-title":"How exercise adherence affects emotion regulation in Chinese college students: the chain mediating effect of sleep quality and self-efficacy","volume":"21","author":"Wang","year":"2026","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"ref58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1097\/HCO.0000000000000437","article-title":"Health benefits of physical activity: a systematic review of current systematic reviews","volume":"32","author":"Warburton","year":"2017","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Cardiol."},{"key":"ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"913","DOI":"10.1177\/0013164413495237","article-title":"Sample size requirements for structural equation models: an evaluation of power, bias, and solution propriety","volume":"73","author":"Wolf","year":"2013","journal-title":"Educ. Psychol. Meas."},{"key":"ref60","volume-title":"WHO Guidelines on Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2557604","DOI":"10.1080\/2331186X.2025.2557604","article-title":"Pathway to learning engagement: exploring teacher support, basic needs satisfaction, and academic self-efficacy in physical education among Chinese PE students","volume":"12","author":"Xu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Cogent Educ."},{"key":"ref62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"395","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-025-21587-w","article-title":"Whose autonomy support is more effective in promoting exercise adherence in higher vocational college students - based on self-determined theory","volume":"25","author":"Yan","year":"2025","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"99","DOI":"10.1186\/s40359-024-01558-3","article-title":"Effects of physical health beliefs on college students' physical exercise behavior intention: mediating effects of exercise imagery","volume":"12","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Psychol."},{"key":"ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"763","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15060763","article-title":"The influence of attribution style and goal accessibility on health beliefs and exercise willingness: experimental evidence from university students","volume":"15","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"869","DOI":"10.3969\/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.08.001","article-title":"Physical activity and health for college students: cross-sectoral integration and development of health and education policies","volume":"31","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Chin. J. Rehabil. Theory Pract."},{"key":"ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1795823","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1795823","article-title":"Time-lagged effects of social support on exercise adherence among Korean college students: serial mediation of self-efficacy, athletic identity, and intrinsic motivation","volume":"17","author":"Zhao","year":"2026","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1016","DOI":"10.47197\/retos.v69.115809","article-title":"Applying self-determination theory in physical education: a systematic review","volume":"69","author":"Zhou","year":"2025","journal-title":"Retos"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1902785\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T04:28:21Z","timestamp":1787027301000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1902785\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]]},"references-count":67,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1902785"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1902785","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]]},"article-number":"1902785"}}