Analysis of the mediating role of self-control among Chinese college students between physical activities and aggressive behavior

This study aims to explore the mediating role of self-control in the relationship between physical activity and aggressive behavior among college students. And it provides a basis for the prevention and control of aggressive behavior among college students. In terms of the methods, this study employs Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), Self-Control Scale (SCS) and Chinese version of Buss&Perry aggression questionnaire (AQ-CV) on 950 college students. And mediating effect test and Bootstrap analysis are applied. The analyses yielded the following findings. (1) Physical activity is significantly negatively correlated with aggressive behavior and self-control (r=-0.18, 0.24; P＜0.01) and self-control is positively correlated with aggressive behavior (r=-0.47; P＜0.01). (2) Physical activity not only negatively predicts college students' aggressive behavior (B=-0.08; P<0.01), but also positively predicts self-control (B=0.24; P<0.01) Self-control negatively predicts college students' aggressive behavior (B=-0.52; P<0.01). Self-control plays the mediating role in the relationship between physical activity and aggressive behavior among college students, with the ratio of 60.29%. It is concluded that physical activity can not only directly improve the problem of aggressive behavior among college students, but also indirectly improve it through self-control.