The impact of physical activity on rumination: a chain mediation model of executive function and metacognitive dysfunction and the examination of suppression effects

The present study aimed to examine the mediating roles of executive function and metacognitive dysfunction in the relationship between physical activity and rumination, as well as the suppressing effect within their parallel mediating pathways. From a cognitive architecture perspective, this study further explored the association pattern between physical activity and rumination among adolescents. A cross-sectional design was adopted in the present study, and data on physical activity, rumination, executive function and metacognitive dysfunction among adolescents were collected via a questionnaire survey. A total of 603 Chinese adolescents were enrolled in the study (Mage = 16.058, SD = 0.828, male = 47.9%). Statistical analyses including reliability and validity analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, partial correlation analysis and structural equation model construction were conducted using SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 27.0, and the mediating effects were examined via the Bootstrap method. Physical activity was significantly associated with lower levels of rumination, with executive function and metacognitive dysfunction showing significant mediating associations. Specifically, higher levels of physical activity were associated with better executive function, which in turn was associated with lower rumination (β = −0.141, 95% Confidence Interval [− 0.210, − 0.078]). In addition, physical activity was positively associated with metacognitive dysfunction, which was further associated with higher levels of rumination (β = 0.091, 95% Confidence Interval [0.055, 0.133]). Similarly, higher levels of physical activity were associated with better executive function, which was further associated with lower levels of metacognitive dysfunction, and subsequently with lower rumination, and the reduction of metacognitive dysfunction can further decrease the occurrence of rumination (β = −0.051, 95% Confidence Interval [− 0.078, − 0.029]). Furthermore, the parallel mediating pathways in the present study show inconsistent directions, presenting a statistically significant suppression effect, and the total indirect pathway effect is partially offset. The present study reveals that the relationship between physical activity and rumination may operate through multiple cognitive pathways with opposing directions, highlighting the structural roles of executive function and metacognitive dysfunction in this association. These findings provide a novel structural perspective for understanding the complexity of the psychological effects of physical activity and offer empirical references for the design of subsequent longitudinal or intervention studies.