The Effect of Leisure Centrality on Academic Intrinsic Motivation among Chinese Students: The Mediating Role of Psychological Well-Being

Leisure, defined as all activities performed during free time, is a key factor contributing to individuals’ psychological well-being and quality of life. In particular, leisure centrality—the psychological and behavioral salience of leisure in one’s life—promotes positive emotions, stress reduction, and learning engagement in educational contexts and may serve as an important protective factor for international students adapting to unfamiliar cultures. This study examined the relationships among leisure centrality, psychological well-being, and academic intrinsic motivation among 382 Chinese undergraduate students in South Korea and tested the mediating role of psychological well-being. Data were collected through a survey of students enrolled in four-year universities in Cheongju and Sejong, and a mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro (Model 4). The results showed that first, leisure centrality positively predicted psychological well-being; second, both leisure centrality and psychological well-being positively predicted all three subdimensions of academic intrinsic motivation—knowledge-seeking, achievement-oriented, and stimulation-experience motivation; and third, psychological well-being significantly mediated the relationship between leisure centrality and academic intrinsic motivation. These findings highlight the need for integrated strategies that enhance leisure centrality and foster psychological well-being, including leisure-promotion programs, counseling and emotional support systems, and community-based activities to facilitate cultural adaptation.