Modeling associations between physical recreation engagement and correlates of post-secondary student psychosocial well-being: Exploring differences among students living with and without a mental health condition

The purpose of the study was to examine on-campus physical recreation engagement as a student-life activity for supporting post-secondary student psychosocial well-being, physical activity (PA) guideline adherence, and academic achievement among post-secondary students. The study aimed to: (1) test a comprehensive model examining associations between engagement in on-campus physical recreation, psychosocial well-being outcomes (campus climate, social support, loneliness, psychological distress), PA guideline adherence, and academic achievement; and (2) explore model differences in the associations among students living with and without a mental health condition. Cross-sectional data from the national spring 2023 Canadian Campus Well-Being Survey were used. The analytical sample included 9575 students (M_age = 23.17 years; 48 % White; 65 % women; 29 % with a mental health condition). Based on findings from structural equation modeling, physical recreation engagement was directly associated with PA guideline adherence, social support, psychological distress, and loneliness. PA guideline adherence, social support, and campus climate were also directly associated with psychological distress, loneliness, and academic achievement. Physical recreation engagement was indirectly associated with more favourable outcomes in academic achievement, psychological distress, and loneliness through higher levels of social support. Physical recreation was indirectly associated with lower levels of psychological distress and loneliness through PA guideline adherence. Exploratory multi-group invariance analyses supported no model differences in the structural associations among students with a mental health condition. Promising targetable processes for supporting student psychosocial well-being through physical recreation engagement are provided. Theoretical and practical implications for informing whole-campus preventive well-being strategies centered on physical recreation among post-secondary students are discussed.