Longitudinal relationships among early adolescent physical exercise, internalizing symptoms, and learning engagement: exploring within-person dynamics and the role of gender differences
Among boys in early adolescence, physical exercise habits were more persistent. Physical exercise promoted learning engagement, while higher learning engagement was linked to reduced internalizing symptoms. Among girls in early adolescence, internalizing symptoms showed greater persistence over time. Importantly, for both genders, internalizing symptoms undermine their learning engagement; physical exercise exerts a long-term protective effect against internalizing symptoms. Furthermore, for both genders, physical exercise enhanced learning engagement by mitigating internalizing symptoms.
Authors
- Jingtao Wu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5308-0329)
- Wenyuan Jiang (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6508-7584)
- Mingjun Xie (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2032-0389)
- Jianfeng Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3198-4095)
- Guo Yu-jiang
- Bin Wei (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3180-519X)
- Chenyu Xu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0424-2344)
Institutions
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (CN)
- Beijing Normal University (CN)
- Leshan Normal University (CN)
- Zhengzhou University (CN)
- Kaifeng University (CN)
- Beijing Sport University (CN)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Published
- 2025-09-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00965-7
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 4.88
Funders
- National Office for Philosophy and Social Sciences