# Cross-lagged analysis of social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships among university students

## TL;DR

This study examines how social support, physical activity, and family relationships influence each other over time among university students.

## Contribution

The study identifies causal relationships and gender differences in social support, physical activity, and family relationships among university students.

## Key findings

- Social support positively predicts future physical activity behavior and family relationships.
- Physical activity behavior partially mediates the relationship between family relationships and social support.
- Gender differences exist in social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships.

## Abstract

To explore the causal relationship between social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships among university students.

Using the Social Support Rating Scale, the Physical Activity Behavior Self-Assessment Scale, and the Family Relationships Scale, a longitudinal follow-up survey was conducted on 412 college students in Sichuan Province at 2-month intervals in March 2024 (T1) and May 2024 (T2), to analyze the interaction mechanisms between college students' social support, physical activity behaviors, and family relationships through cross-lagging.

(1) There are significant gender differences in social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships among college students. Among the cross-lagged paths found, except for the path from T1 social support to T2 family relationships (β: 0.40 > 0.21), all other cross-lagged paths are smaller for female college students compared to male college students; (2) T1 social support was able to positively predict T2 physical activity behaviors (β = 0.50, p < 0.001), and T1 physical activity behavior can also positively predict T2 social support (β = 0.18, p < 0.01), but the path value T1 social support → T2 physical activity behavior is larger than T1 physical activity behavior → T2 social support. Therefore, social support is a causal variable for physical activity behavior; (3) T1 social support positively predicts T2 family relationships (β = 0.26, p < 0.001); (4) T1 family relationships positively predict T2 physical activity behavior (β = 0.30, p < 0.001). (5) Physical activity behavior is a mediating variable between family relationships and social support, with a mediating effect size of 0.054.

There are gender differences in social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships among college students; there is a longitudinal causal relationship between social support, physical activity behavior, and family relationships; social support is a causal variable of physical activity behavior, and social support is also a causal variable of family relationships, and family relationships are the Social support is a causal variable for physical activity behavior, social support is also a causal variable for family relations, and family relations are a causal variable for physical activity behavior, which has a partially mediating role in family relations and social support.