The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between college students' perception of physical education (PE) teachers' transformational leadership and exercise adherence, as well as the mediating effects of physical self-efficacy and exercise motivation. Using the transformational teaching questionnaire, physical self-efficacy scale, exercise motivation scale, and exercise adherence scale, the study surveyed 868 valid questionnaires. The results showed: (1) College students' perception of PE teachers' transformational leadership has a significant positive impact on exercise adherence; (2) Physical self-efficacy plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between students' perception of PE teachers' transformational leadership and exercise adherence; (3) Exercise motivation partially mediates the relationship between students' perception of PE teachers' transformational leadership and exercise adherence; (4) Physical self-efficacy and exercise motivation exhibit a serial mediating effect in the relationship between students' perception of PE teachers' transformational leadership and exercise adherence. These findings suggest that college students' perception of PE teachers' transformational leadership not only directly influences exercise adherence, but also promotes it by enhancing physical self-efficacy and stimulating exercise motivation.
