The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation

ObjectiveThis study was designed to examine the mental health status of Chinese adolescents, investigate the effects of adolescent physical activity on mental health status, and verify the mediating effect of school adaptation.MethodsA survey and analysis were conducted on 9,701 high school students...

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Main Authors: Menghan Zhang, Chenguang Gu, Hui Zeng, Xiangren Yi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1573129/full
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author Menghan Zhang
Menghan Zhang
Chenguang Gu
Hui Zeng
Xiangren Yi
author_facet Menghan Zhang
Menghan Zhang
Chenguang Gu
Hui Zeng
Xiangren Yi
author_sort Menghan Zhang
collection DOAJ
description ObjectiveThis study was designed to examine the mental health status of Chinese adolescents, investigate the effects of adolescent physical activity on mental health status, and verify the mediating effect of school adaptation.MethodsA survey and analysis were conducted on 9,701 high school students in Shandong Province using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), the School Social Behavior Scale-2 (SSBS-2), and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) self-rating scale. The overall status of adolescent mental health was analyzed, regression modeling along with structural equation modeling was used to test whether school adaptation played a mediating role.ResultsThe structural equation model was validated as a good fit (GFI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.972, NFI = 0.970, SRMR = 0.077). Physical activity was significantly and positively correlated with mental health status (β = −0.691, p < 0.001), school adaptation (β = 1.153, p < 0.001), and school adaptation was significantly and positively correlated with mental health status (β = −0.287, p < 0.001). The direct effect of physical activity on mental health status was 0.011 and the indirect effect of physical activity on school adaptation and school adaptation on mental health status was 0.024.ConclusionPhysical activity was positively related to mental health status, with physical activity significantly and positively predicting mental health status; school adaptation was significantly and positively related to physical activity and mental health status, with school adaptation mediating between physical activity and mental health status.
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spelling doaj-art-d9294103a89f4dfdbe3d736031a8459a2025-08-20T01:50:01ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782025-05-011610.3389/fpsyg.2025.15731291573129The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptationMenghan Zhang0Menghan Zhang1Chenguang Gu2Hui Zeng3Xiangren Yi4School of Education, Nanning University, Nanning, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Guangxi University, Nanning, ChinaSchool of Education, Nanning University, Nanning, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Shandong University, Jinan, ChinaObjectiveThis study was designed to examine the mental health status of Chinese adolescents, investigate the effects of adolescent physical activity on mental health status, and verify the mediating effect of school adaptation.MethodsA survey and analysis were conducted on 9,701 high school students in Shandong Province using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), the School Social Behavior Scale-2 (SSBS-2), and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90) self-rating scale. The overall status of adolescent mental health was analyzed, regression modeling along with structural equation modeling was used to test whether school adaptation played a mediating role.ResultsThe structural equation model was validated as a good fit (GFI = 0.950, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.972, NFI = 0.970, SRMR = 0.077). Physical activity was significantly and positively correlated with mental health status (β = −0.691, p < 0.001), school adaptation (β = 1.153, p < 0.001), and school adaptation was significantly and positively correlated with mental health status (β = −0.287, p < 0.001). The direct effect of physical activity on mental health status was 0.011 and the indirect effect of physical activity on school adaptation and school adaptation on mental health status was 0.024.ConclusionPhysical activity was positively related to mental health status, with physical activity significantly and positively predicting mental health status; school adaptation was significantly and positively related to physical activity and mental health status, with school adaptation mediating between physical activity and mental health status.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1573129/fulladolescentsphysical activityschool adaptationmental health statusstructural equation modeling
spellingShingle Menghan Zhang
Menghan Zhang
Chenguang Gu
Hui Zeng
Xiangren Yi
The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
Frontiers in Psychology
adolescents
physical activity
school adaptation
mental health status
structural equation modeling
title The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
title_full The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
title_fullStr The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
title_full_unstemmed The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
title_short The impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status: the mediating effect of school adaptation
title_sort impact of physical activity on adolescent mental health status the mediating effect of school adaptation
topic adolescents
physical activity
school adaptation
mental health status
structural equation modeling
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1573129/full
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