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Peer-reviewedCC BYBMC Public Health

The theoretical model and practical pattern of flow experience on college students’ willingness to adhere to physical exercise

  • Cheng Qiu1
  • Huihui Wang2
  • Jinming Han3
  • Yao Yin4
4 affiliations
  1. 1School of Police Law Enforcement Abilities Training, People’s Public Security University of China
  2. 2School of Physical education and Health, Zunyi Medical University
  3. 3Beijing Institute of Education
  4. 4School of Basic Education, Department of Physical Education, Beijing College of Finance and Commerce
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Abstract

Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of “flow experience” on college students’ willingness to adhere to physical exercise, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of “perceived value” and “satisfaction”. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 435 college students using convenience sampling. The collected data was analyzed using factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), aiming to test the proposed hypotheses and mediating effects. Results Flow experience demonstrated a significant positive effect on the willingness to adhere to physical exercise (β = 0.325, p < 0.001). Perceived value (β = 0.287, p < 0.001) and satisfaction (β = 0.263, p < 0.001) also exhibited significant positive effects. Furthermore, perceived value and satisfaction were found to serve as partial mediators in the relationship between “flow experience” and behavioral willingness, with no statistically significant difference in the indirect effects between these two factors. Conclusion Meeting the inner needs of college students, particularly by enhancing their perceived value and satisfaction during exercise, represents an effective approach to fostering their willingness to adhere to physical exercise. These findings suggest that interventions designed to improve the immersive quality of exercise could be a viable strategy for promoting sustained participation.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{qiu2026theoretical,
  title = {{The theoretical model and practical pattern of flow experience on college students’ willingness to adhere to physical exercise}},
  author = {Cheng Qiu and Huihui Wang and Jinming Han and Yao Yin},
  journal = {BMC Public Health},
  year = {2026},
  month = jul,
  doi = {10.1186/s12889-026-28766-3},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28766-3},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - The theoretical model and practical pattern of flow experience on college students’ willingness to adhere to physical exercise
AU  - Cheng Qiu
AU  - Huihui Wang
AU  - Jinming Han
AU  - Yao Yin
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/07/01
JO  - BMC Public Health
DO  - 10.1186/s12889-026-28766-3
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-28766-3
AB  - Objective This study aims to investigate the impact of “flow experience” on college students’ willingness to adhere to physical exercise, with a particular focus on the mediating roles of “perceived value” and “satisfaction”. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 435 college students using convenience sampling. The collected data was analyzed using factor analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), aiming to test the proposed hypotheses and mediating effects. Results Flow experience demonstrated a significant positive effect on the willingness to adhere to physical exercise (β = 0.325, p < 0.001). Perceived value (β = 0.287, p < 0.001) and satisfaction (β = 0.263, p < 0.001) also exhibited significant positive effects. Furthermore, perceived value and satisfaction were found to serve as partial mediators in the relationship between “flow experience” and behavioral willingness, with no statistically significant difference in the indirect effects between these two factors. Conclusion Meeting the inner needs of college students, particularly by enhancing their perceived value and satisfaction during exercise, represents an effective approach to fostering their willingness to adhere to physical exercise. These findings suggest that interventions designed to improve the immersive quality of exercise could be a viable strategy for promoting sustained participation.
SN  - 1471-2458
ER  -