The impact of smart sports services on residents’ sports participation: the mediating role of exercise self-efficacy and perceived usefulness

Objective This study aims to explore how smart sports services influence residents’ sustained sports participation, with a focus on the mediating roles of perceived usefulness and exercise self-efficacy. Methods Drawing on social cognitive theory and the technology acceptance model, this study constructs an extended theoretical framework incorporating service personalization and perceived value. A questionnaire survey was administered to 354 urban residents with prior experience in smart sports services across four first-tier cities in China. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling via SPSS 27.0 and Amos 28.0. Results (1) Service personalization and perceived value are significantly positively associated with sports participation; (2) Perceived usefulness and exercise self-efficacy partially mediate the relationship between service personalization, perceived value, and sports participation; (3) A significant chain mediation effect is observed, wherein service personalization enhances perceived usefulness, which in turn strengthens exercise self-efficacy, ultimately promoting sustained sports participation. Conclusion The findings reveal a sequential psychological mechanism—“technology perception → cognitive evaluation → efficacy belief → behavioral outcome”—through which smart sports services facilitate residents’ sports engagement. These insights provide theoretical support for optimizing smart sports service design and inform policy aimed at promoting digital health interventions.