Future Self-Continuity Predicts Health-Promoting Behaviors of Chinese Rural College Students: Evidence from Mental Imagery Intervention

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the prediction effect of future self-continuity (FSC) on health-promoting behaviors (Health Responsibility, Physical Activity, and Nutritional Habits) and the impact of urban-rural differences in Chinese college students, further verifying the effect of mental imagery practice on enhancing FSC and promoting health-promoting behaviors among students from rural areas. Study 1 used the Future Self-Continuity Questionnaire and a sub-scale of the Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II to examine the relationship between FSC and health-promoting behaviors among 788 college students (430 from rural areas and others from urban areas). Study 2 was designed to examine the impact of intervention on FSC and health-promoting behaviors among Chinese rural students. The intervention activities lasting 4 wk. 162 freshmen were randomly divided into intervention or control groups to practice the mental imagery about the future self or meditation in the present once a week. FSC and health-promoting behaviors were tested for 3 times. The results demonstrated that: (1) Rural students had lower scores in FSC and health-promoting behaviors than urban students; (2) Urban-rural differences of students moderated the effect of FSC on health-promoting behaviors; (3) The mental imagery practiced increased FSC; and (4) FSC played a complete mediating role in the effect of condition (intervention or not) on health-promoting behaviors for rural college students. Overall, these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the relationship between FSC and health-promoting behaviors, and suggest that mental imagery practice can increase Chinese rural college students’ health-promoting behaviors by enhancing their FSC.

Keywords:

• Education
• personality
• self-concept

Disclosure statement

There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Author notes

Xu Gao is a graduate student in Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University. His research focuses on educational psychology and health psychology.

Xiaobao Li is an associate professor in Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University. His research interests are social psychology and personality psychology.

Feng Zhang is a professor in Institute of Psychology and Behavior, Henan University. His research interests include personality, social psychology, and educational psychology.

Data availability statement

Data are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.