Under the "Healthy China 2030" strategy, enhancing college students' engagement in physical education has emerged as a significant academic priority. This study examines the structural relationships among Social Support (SS), Academic Self-Efficacy (ASE), and Physical Education Engagement (PEE), with a specific focus on the mediating role of ASE. Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected from 59 undergraduate students using validated structured questionnaires, including the PSSS, GSES, and PELES. Psychometric evaluations demonstrated excellent reliability (alpha =0.976) and robust construct validity (KMO =0.914) within the specific context of Chinese higher education. Preliminary Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and path analysis reveal that Social Support significantly and positively predicts students' engagement in physical education both directly and indirectly through the critical mediating mechanism of Academic Self-Efficacy. These findings suggest that perceived social resources bolster students' intrinsic confidence, thereby driving their active engagement in PE classes. In conclusion, the comprehensive analytical framework developed in this study effectively elucidates the key variables and interaction paths influencing student engagement in PE classrooms, offering substantial theoretical and practical implications for physical education reform. Furthermore, it provides university educators with practical insights to optimize supportive instructional strategies, ultimately fostering the long-term physical literacy of Chinese university students.

Xiangzi Xiao. A Preliminary Empirical Study on the Impact of Social Support on PE Engagement among Chinese Non-PE Majors. Frontiers in Educational Research (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 4: 61-68. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2026.090410.

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