Abstract
OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the relationship between emotional management ability and sleep quality in university students, examining the chain-mediating roles of physical exercise and electronic health literacy. The findings provide a theoretical and practical basis for understanding and addressing sleep problems in this population. METHODS: Utilizing 2022 data from the China Physical Activity and Health Longitudinal Study - College Students (CPAHLS-CS), this study investigated four applied universities-Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Yangzhou University, Shangqiu College, and Yangzhou Polytechnic College-through stratified random sampling, ensuring a representative sample from each institution. Emotional Intelligence Scale (EIS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Scale (PSQI), Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), and Electronic Health Literacy Scale (eHEALS) were used for measurement. Descriptive statistics, correlation analyses, regression analyses, and chained mediation effects tests were performed using SPSS 26.0 and process plug-ins, controlling for confounding variables such as gender, grade, smoking, and alcohol use. RESULTS: Emotional management ability was statistically significantly and negatively correlated with sleep quality (β = -0.051, p < 0.001). Physical exercise and electronic health literacy acted as chain mediators between emotional management ability and sleep quality, with a total effect value of -0.042 (95% CI [-0.059, -0.025]), a direct effect value of -0.051 (95% CI [-0.070, -0.031]), and an indirect effect value of 0.009 (95% CI [-0.003, 0.019]). Emotional management ability indirectly improved sleep quality (β = -0.020, p < 0.001) through enhanced physical exercise (β = 0.430, p < 0.001) and indirectly promoted sleep quality (β = 0.027, p < 0.001) through enhanced electronic health literacy (β = 0.655, p < 0.001). The chain-mediated pathway' emotional management ability → physical exercise → electronic health literacy → sleep quality' had an effect value of 0.0002, suggesting a small but non-negligible effect. CONCLUSION: In several ways, emotional management ability and sleep quality are related among application-oriented university students. There's a direct negative correlation between them, and it's also possible that physical exercise and electronic health literacy are mediators in a chain, indirectly affecting sleep quality.