Social support and college students' exercise adherence: Chain mediating effect test

This study explored the relationships between social support, cognitive reappraisal, emotional intelligence, and college students' exercise adherence. We investigated the mechanism underlying the relationship between social support and exercise adherence to provide a potential route through which to promote exercise adherence among college students. Using convenience sampling, we recruited 1,621 college students in Liaoning Province, China, who completed scales measuring social support, exercise adherence, cognitive reappraisal, and emotional intelligence. The results showed that (a) social support directly and positively influenced college students' exercise adherence, and (b) social support indirectly influenced college students' exercise adherence through the independent mediating effect of emotional intelligence and the chain mediating effect of cognitive reappraisal and emotional intelligence. This research deepens understanding of the influence of social support on exercise adherence in college students.