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The impact of parenting styles on physical activity among adolescents: The mediating role of psychological resilience

global-health
kinesiology
public-health
mental-health
sports-medicine

Abstract

Objective: To assess the impact of parenting styles and psychological resilience on physical activity (PA) levels in junior high school students, and to evaluate the mediating role of resilience in this relationship.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 336 adolescents (195 boys, 141 girls) from Nanjing, Yangzhou, and Lianyungang in Jiangsu Province, China. Data were collected using the Chinese versions of the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A), the Short-Form Egna Minnen Beträffande Uppfostran for Children (s-EMBU-C), and the Adolescent Resilience Scale. One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, logistic regression, and hierarchical multiple regression were employed to explore associations among variables. Mediation analyses were performed using the PROCESS macro (Model 4, 5000 bootstraps).

Results: (1) Gender and grade differences in physical activity (PA) were significant: girls were more likely to belong to the low-PA group, while boys were more likely to be in the medium- or high-PA groups. As grade level increased, the proportion of low PA decreased, medium PA increased, and high PA remained stable (p < 0.01). No urban–rural differences were observed. (2) Parenting styles were significantly associated with PA levels: parental emotional warmth was positively correlated with PA, whereas paternal rejection was negatively correlated; overprotection showed weaker but notable differences. (3) Hierarchical regression revealed that parental emotional warmth was a strong positive predictor of PA, while paternal rejection was a negative predictor. The final model explained 49.8% of the variance in PAQ total scores. (4) Psychological resilience mediated the relationship between parenting styles and PA. Emotional warmth had both direct and indirect effects on PA via resilience, while rejection and overprotection influenced PA indirectly, with paternal rejection exerting the strongest negative indirect effect.

Conclusion: Greater parental emotional warmth and lower rejection foster higher PA levels among adolescents, with psychological resilience serving as a key mediator. These findings underscore the importance of strategies that promote positive parenting and resilience to enhance PA and support adolescent development.

Keywords: physical activity; parenting styles; psychological resilience; adolescents; mediation

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