Moderating Effect Of Physical Fitness On The Relationship Between Bullying And Depression

Moderating effect of physical fitness on the relationship between bullying and depression The relationship between perceived bullying and depressive symptoms is a relevant topic in student mental health. This study investigates how physical fitness can moderate the impact of bullying on depression, suggesting that good physical fitness might offer some protection against the negative effects of bullying. PURPOSE: To examine the interaction between educational bullying score (School Bullying Scale) and physical fitness (Individual Fitness Index) in predicting levels of depression (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale). METHODS: Data were collected from 415 students, assessing bullying scores (School Bullying Scale) and depression levels (Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale). Physical fitness was categorized as high or low/medium. Multiple regression with interaction was used to analyze how physical fitness moderates the relationship between bullying and depression. RESULTS: Analyses showed that participants with low or medium physical fitness exhibit a significant positive slope between bullying and depression (β = 0.166, p < 0.05), suggesting that bullying is associated with higher levels of depression in this group. In contrast, for those with high physical fitness, the slope was negative (β = -0.240, p < 0.05), indicating that high levels of bullying do not lead to higher levels of depression. CONCLUSION: Physical fitness appears to significantly moderate the impact of bullying on depression. Students with good physical fitness are less vulnerable to the negative impact of bullying, which may indicate a resilience mechanism. Promoting physical fitness in educational settings could be a strategy to reduce susceptibility to bullying-related depression.