The Relationship Between Grit and Exercise Continuance Intention in Adolescent Soccer Players: The Dual Mediating Effects of Self-Efficacy and Exercise Satisfaction

Objectives This study aims to examine the relationship between grit, self-efficacy, exercise satisfaction, and exercise continuity in adolescent soccer players, and further analyze the dual mediating effects of self-efficacy and exercise satisfaction in the relationship between grit and exercise continuity. Methods For this purpose, the study conducted descriptive statistical analysis on 464 male middle and high school soccer players from Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. To verify the validity and reliability of the measurement tools, confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency (Cronbach’s α), and correlation analysis were performed. Furthermore, structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted to test the research hypotheses, and the dual mediating effects were evaluated through bootstrapping to assess the indirect effects. Results The confirmatory factor analysis results for the measurement tools of grit, self-efficacy, exercise satisfaction, and exercise continuity intention in adolescent soccer players confirmed the goodness of fit for all scales, and ensured internal consistency and content validity. The correlation analysis revealed statistically significant positive correlations among all variables, confirming discriminant validity. Additionally, the hypothesis testing results indicated that hypotheses 1 through 5 had statistically significant effects, leading to the acceptance of these hypotheses. Finally, the verification of hypothesis 6 showed that both self-efficacy and exercise satisfaction had partial mediating effects. Conclusions The results of this study confirmed the importance of grit in the continuation of soccer participation among adolescent soccer players and provided practical implications for enhancing exercise persistence. Coaches need to develop programs that strengthen players' grit, which in turn can enhance self-efficacy and increase exercise satisfaction. Through these efforts, it will be possible to support players' long-term careers and foster sustained passion and participation in soccer.