The mediating role of hope and school satisfaction in the relationship between happiness and social exclusion in physical education classes

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the happiness students experience during physical education lessons and social exclusion, as well as the mediating role of hope and school satisfaction in this relationship. Material and Methods: The study employed a relational survey design involving 987 students attending middle schools in the province of Malatya. The scales used for data collection were the Physical Education Class Happiness Level, Social Exclusion, Hope in Children, and School Satisfaction scales. Correlation analysis was performed to reveal the relationships between the variables. Regression analyses were conducted to determine the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable; additionally, the mediating roles of hope in children and school satisfaction regarding the effect of happiness levels in physical education classes on social exclusion were tested using the PROCESS Macro developed by Hayes. The effects of the mediating variables were examined using the bootstrapping method (5,000 samples), with the criterion for significance being that the confidence intervals did not include zero. Results: The findings of the study revealed a significant positive relationship between students' happiness levels in physical education classes and their school satisfaction. The results indicated that happiness levels were higher among male students, whereas school satisfaction was higher among female students. Analysis showed a positive correlation between happiness and hope levels. In the model, the direct effect of happiness on social exclusion was found to be negative and significant. A significant negative relationship was observed between school satisfaction and social exclusion. The analysis further demonstrated that happiness had a significant negative indirect effect on social exclusion, mediated by hope. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrated that happiness perceived during physical education classes negatively predicts the perception of social exclusion among middle school students—both directly and through the mediation of hope levels—whereas school satisfaction does not play a mediating role in this relationship. The findings indicate that a significant portion of the effect of happiness in reducing the perception of exclusion operates through hope, suggesting that practices aimed at fostering hope could be a priority target in school-based prevention efforts. Keywords: Physical Education, Hope, School Satisfaction, Social Exclusion, Happiness