Physical Literacy and College Adjustment Among Chinese International Students Who Regularly Participate in Basketball in South Korea: The Mediating Role of Well-Being.

Chinese international students studying in South Korea may experience academic, sociocultural, and psychological challenges that may undermine well-being and successful adaptation to university life. Physical literacy, which encompasses motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding related to physical activity, may represent a behavioral and psychosocial resource that supports adaptive functioning. This cross-sectional study examined the relationships among perceived physical literacy, well-being, and college adjustment among 288 Chinese international students in South Korea who participated in basketball at least once per week. Physical literacy was assessed using the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument, well-being using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form, and college adjustment using the Student Adaptation to College Questionnaire-25. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted, and the mediating effect of well-being was tested using bootstrapping with 2000 resamples. Physical literacy was positively associated with well-being (β = 0.305, p < .001), well-being was positively associated with college adjustment (β = 0.358, p < .001), and physical literacy was positively associated with college adjustment (β = 0.180, p = .002). The indirect effect of physical literacy on college adjustment through well-being was significant (β = 0.109, p = .001), indicating partial mediation. These findings suggest that, within this sample of Chinese international students who participated in basketball at least once per week, physical literacy may be relevant to college adjustment as a behavioral and psychosocial resource, partly through well-being.