The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Subjective Well‐Being in College Students Over the Course of a Semester: A Short‐Term Longitudinal Study

Subjective well-being is an essential construct in positive psychology and is linked with various physical and mental health outcomes in college students. This study examined the associations between different intensities of physical activity (PA) and multiple dimensions of subjective well-being at the beginning and end of a semester. A short-term longitudinal design was employed with a cohort of 743 undergraduate students (mean age = 19.63 years). Data on PA and subjective well-being indicators, including life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect, were collected during the third week of the semester and the week before final exams. The results revealed a significant decline in PA and life satisfaction, and a significant increase in negative affect from the beginning to the end of the semester. Vigorous-intensity PA at the semester's end showed a positive relationship with life satisfaction and positive affect, and a negative relationship with negative affect, while PA levels at the beginning of the semester did not predict subjective well-being at the semester's end. This study highlights the importance of vigorous-intensity PA in supporting subjective well-being during periods of academic stress. Universities should implement targeted programs to encourage vigorous-intensity PA to support student well-being.