Physical Activity, Psychological Resilience, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Male College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background/Objectives: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an important mental health concern among college students, yet evidence regarding behavioral and psychological correlates of NSSI among male students remains limited. This study examined the cross-sectional associations among physical activity (PA), psychological resilience (PR), and NSSI in male college students and explored heterogeneity in joint PA-PR patterns. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2567 male college students from one university in Jiangxi Province, China. PA, PR, and NSSI were assessed using the Physical Activity Rating Scale-3, the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and 10 behavioral-frequency items from the Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory, respectively. Pearson correlations, covariate-adjusted regression analyses, bootstrap analysis of the statistical indirect association, sensitivity analyses, and latent profile analysis (LPA) were performed. Results: PA was positively associated with PR (r = 0.627, p < 0.001), whereas PA and PR were negatively associated with NSSI (r = -0.259 and -0.292, respectively; both p < 0.001). After adjustment for all measured demographic characteristics, PR statistically accounted for part of the negative association between PA and NSSI (indirect effect = -0.133, 95% bootstrap CI [-0.164, -0.102]). The NSSI model explained 9.8% of the variance. Past-year NSSI was reported by 35.41% of participants. LPA identified two predominantly level-based profiles: Low PA-Low PR and High PA-High PR. Participants in the Low PA-Low PR profile reported significantly higher NSSI scores than those in the High PA-High PR profile. Conclusions: Higher PA and PR were associated with lower NSSI among male college students, and PR statistically accounted for part of the cross-sectional PA-NSSI association. The two PA-PR profiles also differed in NSSI levels. These findings indicate that PA and PR are relevant correlates of NSSI, although their temporal and causal relationships require further investigation.