Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables
IntroductionPhysical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activities for life, and may be associated with higher mental health; however, few studies have explored the processes u...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1518423/full |
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| author | Zhu Shanshan Tao Ping Lin Jiabin Liu Tianzhuo Lai Xiaomei Wang Bolei Dai Leifu Tang Jianfeng |
| author_facet | Zhu Shanshan Tao Ping Lin Jiabin Liu Tianzhuo Lai Xiaomei Wang Bolei Dai Leifu Tang Jianfeng |
| author_sort | Zhu Shanshan |
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| description | IntroductionPhysical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activities for life, and may be associated with higher mental health; however, few studies have explored the processes underlying these positive associations.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to explore the role of resilience in the relationship between physical literacy and mental health, and further examines the mediating role of physical activity.MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited a sample of 1,022 (aged 10–18 years, Mage = 14.84, SD = 1.79, 44.9% male) Chinese students, grades five to twelve, via physical education courses. The hypothesized moderated mediation model was employed using Model 4 and Model 8 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS to examine the relationships between physical literacy, mental health, resilience, and physical activity.ResultsPhysical literacy was positively and significantly correlated with mental health (r = 0.364, p < 0.001), and resilience (r = 0.486, p < 0.001). After controlling for sex and grade variables, resilience mediated the relationship between adolescent physical literacy and mental health, physical activity moderated the relationship between physical literacy and resilience in the mediator model but not between physical literacy and mental health.DiscussionThe present study suggests that could physical literacy predict increased levels of resilience, which could then lead to higher mental health. However, this mediation effect may fluctuate across individuals with different levels of physical activity. Overall, this study may reveal that physical literacy promotes resilience and mental health processes in individuals with different levels of physical activity. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-72f9f89737bd46978a7f19608cd08727 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj-art-72f9f89737bd46978a7f19608cd087272025-02-11T18:09:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-02-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15184231518423Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variablesZhu Shanshan0Tao Ping1Lin Jiabin2Liu Tianzhuo3Lai Xiaomei4Wang Bolei5Dai Leifu6Tang Jianfeng7School of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, ChinaCollege of Sports Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang, Liaoning, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Changchun Normal University, Changchun, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Northeast Normal University, Changchun, Jilin, ChinaIntroductionPhysical literacy is defined as the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engaging in physical activities for life, and may be associated with higher mental health; however, few studies have explored the processes underlying these positive associations.ObjectivesThe present study aimed to explore the role of resilience in the relationship between physical literacy and mental health, and further examines the mediating role of physical activity.MethodsThis cross-sectional study recruited a sample of 1,022 (aged 10–18 years, Mage = 14.84, SD = 1.79, 44.9% male) Chinese students, grades five to twelve, via physical education courses. The hypothesized moderated mediation model was employed using Model 4 and Model 8 of the PROCESS macro for SPSS to examine the relationships between physical literacy, mental health, resilience, and physical activity.ResultsPhysical literacy was positively and significantly correlated with mental health (r = 0.364, p < 0.001), and resilience (r = 0.486, p < 0.001). After controlling for sex and grade variables, resilience mediated the relationship between adolescent physical literacy and mental health, physical activity moderated the relationship between physical literacy and resilience in the mediator model but not between physical literacy and mental health.DiscussionThe present study suggests that could physical literacy predict increased levels of resilience, which could then lead to higher mental health. However, this mediation effect may fluctuate across individuals with different levels of physical activity. Overall, this study may reveal that physical literacy promotes resilience and mental health processes in individuals with different levels of physical activity.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1518423/fullphysical literacymental healthphysical activityresilienceadolescence |
| spellingShingle | Zhu Shanshan Tao Ping Lin Jiabin Liu Tianzhuo Lai Xiaomei Wang Bolei Dai Leifu Tang Jianfeng Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables Frontiers in Psychology physical literacy mental health physical activity resilience adolescence |
| title | Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| title_full | Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| title_fullStr | Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| title_short | Relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents: a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| title_sort | relationship between physical literacy and mental health in adolescents a moderated mediation model with resilience and physical activity as variables |
| topic | physical literacy mental health physical activity resilience adolescence |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1518423/full |
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