Psychological antecedents and outcomes of leisure time physical activity for mainland Chinese international students in Canada

• Author / Creator

  Curtin, Kimberley D

• The purpose of this research was to examine the physical activity of mainland Chinese international students in Canada. Particularly, the relationships between physical activity, social cognitive variables (i.e., self-efficacy, social support, intention, access), mental health (i.e., stress, subjective well-being, acculturative stress), and culture variables (i.e., self-construal, acculturation) were compared at different stages of undergraduate study. In the first study, data were collected with Chinese undergraduate students (N = 323) to examine the reliability and validity of the survey instruments translated into simplified Chinese. Factor structures were identified for each questionnaire, and some were modified for use in studies two and three. The test-retest (N = 21) yielded mixed results, with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) ranging from poor to good for most scales. State or context in which the participant completed the measures may be an important consideration. Two models were examined using the data from Chinese undergraduate students (N = 317; 54.8% female). In the first model the structure of social cognitive theory in relation to moderate and vigorous physical activity was tested. Social support was related to higher vigorous physical activity and self-efficacy (β = .29). Self-efficacy was related to greater intentions to be physically active (β = .67) and perceptions of access to places to do physical activity (β = .52). Social support is an important facilitator of physical activity for Chinese students, and may be especially important for those who endorse an independent self-construal.In the second model, relationships between vigorous and moderate intensity physical activity and mental health (i.e., stress and subjective well-being) were examined. Moderate physical activity was significantly negatively related to stress (β = -.18; p < .05), and also shared a relationship with subjective well-being (β = .11; p < .10). Vigorous physical activity was related to stress (β = -.10; p < .10). Physical activity may be used to mitigate stress and improve subjective well-being in Chinese students. In study two differences in the social cognitive, mental health, physical activity, and culture variables at the beginning and end of Chinese international students’ first year of study were examined. Students completed online surveys in their first months in Canada (T1; September 18 – November 23, 2017; N = 54), and three to six months after they began their academic term (T2; February 27 – April 15, 2018; N = 22, 59% female). General stress increased from T1 to T2 (p = .004). Bivariate correlations showed social support, self-efficacy and intentions may be related to physical activity. Social isolation, academic pressure, language insufficiency, family guilt, stress, exercise as a coping mechanism, subjective well-being, and discrimination were correlated across time points. Physical activity and self-efficacy were not stable over time. The increase in stress may support the hypotheses that mental health may decline over time as initial excitement about a new experience wanes. Addressing language and social isolation issues could also help improve international student experiences in Canada.In study three, physical activity, social cognitive variables, mental health, and culture were compared between first year (n = 92), second year (n =52), and senior (3rd-5th year; n = 77) Chinese international students. Senior students perceived fewer places to do physical activity, and more discrimination compared to first and second year students. Second year students rated themselves lower on academic pressure and family guilt compared to senior students. First year students had more general stress compared to the second year students. In the regression analyses, self-efficacy, intention, and exercise to reduce stress shared relationships with vigorous intensity physical activity. Subjective well-being was positively related to moderate intensity physical activity, and self-efficacy and independent self-construal were related to walking. First year students walked more than senior students. Chinese international students may perceive their environment differently, and experience different kinds of stress as they advance in their academic years. Together, this research demonstrates the importance of cultural contextual factors in physical activity behaviour for Chinese students studying abroad and in their home country. Chinese students may benefit from improving self-efficacy and planning for physical activity. First year international students may need more support for stress reduction. Language and social integration programming may help encourage physical activity and promote positive experiences for Chinese international students in Canada.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • mental health
  • culture
  • physical activity
  • discrimination
  • stress
  • Chinese
  • international student

• Graduation date

  Spring 2019

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Doctor of Philosophy

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-026m-3n93

• License

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