The chain mediating role of perceived social support and cognitive reappraisal in the relationship between physical exercise and adolescent social anxiety

In order to explore the effects of physical exercise on adolescents' social anxiety and its intrinsic mechanism of action, the present study was based on the theory of psychosocial adaptation and constructed a hypothetical model with the chain mediation of perceived social support and cognitive reappraisal. The Physical Activity Rating Scale, the Interaction Anxiety Scale, the Perceived Social Support Scale, and the Cognitive Reappraisal Scale in the Emotion Regulation Scale were used to administer questionnaires to 505 adolescents, and the mediating effects were tested by structural equation modeling. The results showed that (1) physical exercise significantly and negatively predicted the level of social anxiety in adolescents (β= -0.467,P < 0.001); (2) perceived social support and cognitive reappraisal played independent mediating roles between physical exercise and social anxiety, respectively, with the effect value of 24.28% and 3.47%; (3) physical exercise could indirectly reduce social anxiety through the chain mediating path of perceived social support and cognitive reappraisal, and the chain mediating path of social anxiety could indirectly reduce social anxiety. indirectly reducing social anxiety, with a chain effect percentage of 13.29%. The study suggests that physical exercise not only directly relieves adolescents' social anxiety, but also forms a multilevel protective psychological mechanism by enhancing the individual's ability to perceive social support, which in turn promotes the use of positive emotion regulation strategies. The results of the study provide theoretical and practical basis for improving adolescent mental health through physical activity interventions, and suggest the integration of social support systems and cognitive training to enhance the effectiveness of interventions.