Long-term effects of early adversity on the mental health of college students: The mitigating effect of physical exercise

BACKGROUND: We aim to investigate the long-term effects of early adversity on university students’ mental health and the mitigating role of physical exercise on this effect. METHODS: The survey sample consisted of 895 college students. Descriptive statistics, linear regression, and moderating effect analysis were used to analyze the results. RESULTS: (1) Early adversity negatively predict mental health level (β = −0.109, t = −4.981, p < 0.01); (2) Physical exercise can effectively mitigate the long-term harm of early adversity to mental health (β = 0.039, t = 2.001, p < 0.05); compared to low-level physical exercise (b(simple) = −0. 067, t = −7.88, p < 0.01), high-level physical exercise can mitigate the long-term harm of early adversity to mental health (b(simple) = −0, 025, t = −2. 37, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Early adversity affects the mental health of university students, but physical exercise can effectively mitigate this effect.