The Correlation Between Self-Efficacy and Physical Activity Among College Students

Halepi Anindya Wisista (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, East Java, Indonesia)
Zidni Imanurrohmah Lubis (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, East Java, Indonesia)
Anita Faradilla Rahim (Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Malang, East Java, Indonesia)
Syiar Aprilla Tanazza (Master students, Department of Sports Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan)

Jurnal Promkes: The Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion and Health Education
Vol. 14 No. SI2 (2026): Jurnal Promkes: The Indonesian Journal of Health Promotion and Health Educat

Background: Among college students, engagement in physical activity is influenced by various psychological factors, one of which is self-efficacy. This construct describes an individual's confidence in their capability to accomplish intended goals. When self-efficacy is inadequate, students may be more likely to adopt sedentary habits, potentially leading to unfavorable physical and mental health outcomes. Objective: This study was conducted to explore whether self-efficacy is associated with physical activity among college students. Methods:  Using a cross-sectional analytical observational design, this quantitative research involved 383 undergraduate students from the 2023 cohort who were recruited through random sampling. The “General Self-Efficacy Scale” or GSES was utilized to assess self-efficacy, whereas physical activity was evaluated using the “International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form” or IPAQ-SF. Participant profiles and research variables were summarized through descriptive statistical analysis. Prior to hypothesis testing, data distribution was assessed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. Since findings indicated a non-normal distribution (p < 0.05), Spearman’s rho was applied to examine the association between variables at a significance level of 5%. Ethical clearance for the study was granted by the Research Ethics Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang. Results: Of all participants, 69.7% were women, while respondents aged 20 years represented 47.8% of the sample. The analysis showed the mean score of self-efficacy reached 28.79, and the average physical activity level was 1,812.93 MET-minutes/week. Correlation testing revealed self-efficacy was positively related to physical activity (r = 0.156; p = 0.002). Although significant, the strength of the correlation was categorized as weak. Conclusion: Self-efficacy is significantly linked to physical activity among college students. Students with stronger self-efficacy tend to demonstrate higher levels of physical activity.