The Effects of Exercise on University Students’ Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdown: The Mediating Effects of Relative Deprivation and Subjective Exercise Experience

Abstract Background Epidemic prevention measures in universities are very important as a special area with crowds. Many universities have taken measures of lockdown to stem the spread of COVID-19 epidemic on campus. Negatively life events such as lockdown and pandemic are important variables of depression which may affect students' mental health. Methods AMOS24.0 analysis software packages were used for construct model to analyze the effects of exercise on depression of university student. An ANOVA analysis of variance for repeated measures was applied to analyze the differences between exercise and depression. Results This study found that effects of exercise on university students' depression has both direct effects and mediating effects, with direct effects accounting for 43.7% and mediating effects accounting for 56.3%.The mediating effects of exercise on depression mainly included three aspects: subjective exercise experience, relative deprivation, subjective exercise experience and relative deprivation. Conclusions Exercise intensity and exercise frequency had better effects on reduce depression. Not only did positive happiness reduce depression, but also reduce depression by controlled relative deprivation. However, exercise fatigue cause high level of depression by increased relative deprivation indirectly. Therefore, if we want to reduce depression with the help of exercise effectively, it is necessary to arrange moderate intensity exercise three times a week and pay attention to recovery after fatigue.