The association between physical education teachers’ autonomy support and college students’ exercise engagement: the serial mediating role of basic psychological needs and psychological resilience

OBJECTIVE: To explore the associations among physical education teachers' autonomy support, basic psychological needs, psychological resilience, and college students' exercise engagement, and to examine the chain mediating pathways. METHODS: A total of 1,394 college students were investigated by random sampling using the College Students' Exercise Engagement Scale, Physical Education Teachers' Autonomy Support Scale, Basic Psychological Needs Scale, and Psychological Resilience Scale. RESULTS: (1) Physical education teachers' autonomy support positively predicted college students' exercise engagement; (2) basic psychological needs played a mediating role in the relationship between physical education teachers' autonomy support and college students' exercise engagement; (3) psychological resilience served as a mediating variable in the association between physical education teachers' autonomy support and college students' exercise engagement; (4) basic psychological needs mediated the relationship between physical education teachers' autonomy support and psychological resilience. CONCLUSION: Basic psychological needs and psychological resilience exert a chain mediating effect between physical education teachers' autonomy support and college students' exercise engagement. These findings provide empirical evidence and path implications for improving college students' exercise engagement through teaching interventions.