The impact mechanism of green exercise on college students' suicidal ideation: a mediation analysis based on entrance anxiety

Purpose This study aimed to examine the relationship between green exercise and suicidal ideation among first-year university students and to explore the mediating role of entrance anxiety in this association. Methods A total of 713 freshmen participated in a cross-sectional survey using standardized questionnaires assessing green exercise, entrance anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Demographic variables (gender, family economic status, place of origin, and only-child status) were controlled. Data were analyzed with SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 26.0. Reliability, validity, and common method bias were tested, followed by structural equation modeling (SEM) and a bias-corrected bootstrapping analysis with 5,000 resamples to examine direct and indirect effects. Results The SEM results indicated that green exercise significantly reduced entrance anxiety (β = −0.36, p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (β = −0.42, p < 0.001), whereas entrance anxiety positively predicted suicidal ideation (β = 0.40, p < 0.001). Bootstrapping confirmed that entrance anxiety partially mediated the relationship between green exercise and suicidal ideation. The total effect of green exercise on suicidal ideation was significant (β = −0.57, p < 0.001), including a direct effect (β = −0.42, 73.68%) and an indirect effect through entrance anxiety (β = −0.15, 26.32%), with confidence intervals excluding zero. Conclusion Green exercise effectively alleviates entrance anxiety and reduces suicidal ideation among university freshmen. These findings highlight the mental health benefits of outdoor physical activity and suggest that integrating green exercise into campus life may serve as an effective preventive strategy against anxiety and suicidal ideation.