Date of Conferral

8-19-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Health Sciences

Advisor

David Brown

Abstract

Online graduate students are a growing population in higher education. Nevertheless, only a few studies have investigated the associations between their academic performance (AP) and movement behaviors—physical activity (PA), sedentary behavior (SB), and sleep quality (SQ). Guided by the 24‑hour activity cycle framework and social cognitive theory, the purpose of this quantitative cross‑sectional study was to explore these relationships among online graduate students in the United States and examine how self-efficacy (SE) and social determinants of health (SDOH) influence them. The online survey, which included validated scales for all constructs, yielded 403 complete responses. AP showed a significant positive association with PA (r = .12, p = .02), a significant negative association with SQ (r = –.23, p < .001), and no significant association with SB. After accounting for SDOH in the hierarchical regression (ΔR² = .044; F(1,391) = 20.78, p < .001), movement behaviors did not independently predict AP, whereas SE emerged as the strongest predictor in the final model (β = .365, p < .001). Mediation analyses indicated that SE fully mediated the relationship between AP and PA (indirect effect = .045, 95% CI [.018, .079], p < .001), but did not mediate the relationship with SQ. These results can inform social change by demonstrating how SDOH affect movement behaviors and AP, and by offering evidence that online universities should adopt equity‑centered support systems to lessen institutional barriers. Implications for intervention include integrating SE-building practices into online program development and increasing accessibility to PA and sleep‑support resources for adult online learners.

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