Effects of Physical Activity on College Students' Positive Psychology

Physical activities are increasingly practiced among college students and may be effective in improving positive psychology. This article conducted a meta-analysis of RCTs to systematically evaluate the effects of physical activities on positive psychology in college students. Two authors conducted independent literature searches in electronic databases from the first available date to December 2023. Then, eligible studies were selected, data for meta‐analysis were extracted, and the risk of bias was evaluated. Eight independent RCTs with 697 participants were included. Meta-analysis showed that physical activities significantly improved the level of self-efficacy, positive emotion and well-being among college students. However, physical activities did not significantly enhance the resilience in college students. Clinical evidence from current RCTs indicates that physical activities could enhance the positive psychology in college students.