The physical and mental health development of college students has gradually become an important topic of social concern. The academic community focuses on different ways of physical exercise to improve the mental health of college students. On the basis of sports psychology, this paper discusses the interaction mechanism between physical activity and social support, interpersonal relationship quality and loneliness of college students, that is, physical and mental health effects of physical activities to promote the psychological level of college students. By random sampling, 784 college students were investigated and analyzed with physical exercise scale, loneliness scale, interpersonal relationship scale and social support scale, based on the general characteristics of the demographics variables, and through the analysis of multiple regression path model, this paper further explored the mechanism of the effects of physical activity, social support, loneliness and interpersonal relationship quality of college students. The results showed that physical exercise had a negative predictive effect on loneliness(β = − 0.246, p<0.01) and a positive predictive effect on interpersonal relationship quality and social support(β = 0.186, p<0.01; β = 0.156, p<0.01).In addition, social support and interpersonal relationship quality play a mediating role between physical exercise and loneliness, including three mediating paths, namely, social support and interpersonal relationship quality play an independent mediating role, the link mediating effect of social support and interpersonal relationship quality. According to the theory of psychological needs, the results show that physical exercise has an indirect effect on loneliness of college students through the chain mediating effect of interpersonal relationship quality and social support. College students can improve the level of social support and the quality of interpersonal relationships, and reduce the sense of loneliness.

Background: Recent studies suggest that autonomous and controlled motivation may mediate the relationship between perfectionism and attitudes toward doping. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association among perfectionistic strivings, perfectionistic concerns, autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and attitudes toward doping in young athletes. The potential mediating role of autonomous and controlled motivation was examined. Methods: Two hundred and forty-three Chinese athletes were surveyed using questionnaires. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to evaluate the potential mediating role of autonomous and controlled motivation between perfectionism and attitudes toward doping. Results: The results showed that perfectionistic strivings was negatively associated with attitudes toward doping, whereas perfectionistic concerns positively predicted attitudes toward doping. Autonomous motivation was negatively associated with attitudes toward doping, whereas controlled motivation positively predicted attitudes toward doping. The mediation analyses showed that the relationship between perfectionistic strivings and attitudes toward doping was partially mediated by autonomous motivation. The relationship between perfectionistic concerns and attitudes toward doping was partially mediated by controlled motivation. Conclusions: The findings suggested that fostering perfectionistic strivings and autonomous motivation and reducing perfectionistic concerns and controlled motivation may be considered for inclusion in athletes’ anti-doping education.

Competitive sports shape character and moral development, but views differ on the impact of excessive competitiveness on sports ethics. We used an integrated and microlevel approach to examine the relationships among the achievement goals, social goals, and sports ethics of 268 young Chinese athletes. Results of a self-evaluation survey showed that task orientation was positively associated with respect for social conventions as well as respect for rules and officials, and was negatively associated with instrumental aggression. Ego orientation was negatively associated with respect for social conventions, respect for rules and officials, and respect for opponents. Social affiliation was positively associated with respect for social conventions, respect for rules and officials, and respect for opponents. Social status was negatively associated with respect for rules and officials, and positively associated with instrumental aggression. Finally, social recognition was negatively associated with respect for social conventions and respect for opponents. Our findings provide insight into the mechanistic motivations behind ethical behaviors, offering theoretical guidance for promoting sports ethics among young athletes.