Comparison of the Effects of Group Running and Solo Running on Alleviating Negative Emotion: The Mediating Roles of Exercise Intention, Social Attributes, and Self-Regulation

Against the backdrop of increasing mental health challenges in modern society, exercise has gained significant attention as an effective strategy for emotion regulation. This study aims to compare the effects of group running and solo running on alleviating negative emotions and to examine the mediating roles of exercise intention, social attributes, and self-regulation. A mixed methodology was adopted, comprising an online questionnaire survey of 115 participants with running experience in the past three months, supplemented by in-depth interviews with representative runners and a psychological counselor. The results indicate that both forms of running effectively alleviate negative emotions. Group running demonstrates significant advantages in enhancing exercise intention and providing social support, thereby proving more effective in mitigating negative emotions. In contrast, Solo running offers greater benefits in terms of time flexibility and self-regulation. The findings suggest that group running holds considerable potential as a mental health intervention, though both forms possess distinct application value for different populations.