The mediating role of moral competence in the relationship between participation in physical education and character development among Chinese adolescents: Implications from social psychology

This study explores the mediating role of moral competence in the relationship between physical education (PE) participation and character development among adolescents in Hubei, China. The research aims to investigate whether moral competence acts as a key mechanism through which PE participation influences the development of positive character traits such as empathy, responsibility, and fairness. A sample of 500 students was divided into High and Low Participation Groups based on their involvement in PE. Regression analysis and mediation models were used to test the relationships between PE participation, moral competence, and character development. The results indicated that PE participation significantly predicted moral competence, which, in turn, positively predicted character development. Notably, the indirect effect of PE participation on character development through moral competence was significant (β = 0.15, p < 0.05), while the direct effect was not (β = 0.08, p = 0.12). These findings highlight the critical role of moral competence in explaining how PE contributes to the broader development of adolescents' social and moral competencies. The study concludes that moral education should be incorporated into PE curricula to foster not only physical but also moral and ethical growth in adolescents.