Autoconcepto físico y ansiedad como predictores del bienestar psicológico en hombres universitarios deportistas de Cultura Física

Introduction: Psychological well-being among university students has gained relevance due to increase in anxiety, stress, and emotional distress that affect academic performance and quality of life. Objective: This study analyzes, through structural equation modeling, the direct and indirect effects of physical self-concept operationalized through motor competence and physical attractiveness and generalized anxiety, measured though its cognitive and somatic symptoms, on psychological well-being, specifically in dimensions of self-acceptance and personal growth. Methodology: The sample consisted of 305 Mexican university students engaged in regular sports practice, with a mean age of 20.75 years (SD=1.98 years). The proposed model showed satisfactory fit indices, and most of the hypothesized relationships were statistically significant. Results: The findings indicate that self-acceptance, motor competence, and cognitive anxiety symptoms are the variables with the greatest explanatory power for personal growth. The mediating role of self-acceptance and physical attractiveness in the relationship between motor competence and personal growth is highlighted, suggesting that positive physical self-perceptions contribute to psychological well-being both directly and through intermediate affective and evaluative mechanisms. Conclusions: These findings have relevant implications for the design of interventions aimed at promoting well-being in university athlete populations. Future research is recommended to replicate and expand these results in larger samples with greater sociodemographic diversity.