The impact of physical activity on self-esteem among Yi ethnic group secondary school students: the moderating role of authoritarian parenting

Abstract Background Self-esteem is a key predictor of adolescent mental health, yet few studies have examined how family parenting styles moderate the relationship between physical activity and self-esteem among ethnic minority adolescents in China. This study investigated the association between physical activity and self-esteem among Yi junior high school students and tested whether authoritarian parenting attenuated this association. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 712 Yi junior high school students (grades 7–9) from 10 middle schools in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province was conducted using cluster convenience sampling. Physical activity was assessed using the Chinese version of the IPAQ short form; self-esteem was measured with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale; authoritarian parenting was assessed using the harshness dimension of the Parenting Style Questionnaire. Moderation analysis was performed using Hayes' PROCESS macro (Model 1) with 5,000 bootstrap samples, controlling for gender and grade. Results Physical activity was positively correlated with self-esteem ( r = 0.196, p < 0.01). Authoritarian parenting significantly moderated this relationship (interaction term B = -0.152, p = 0.008). Simple slope analysis revealed that physical activity significantly predicted self-esteem when parental strictness was low (B = 2.322, p = 0.008) but this association was attenuated and became non-significant when parental strictness was high (B = -0.401, p = 0.233). Conclusions The beneficial effect of physical activity on self-esteem among Yi junior high school students is contingent upon the family rearing environment. Physical activity interventions targeting adolescent mental health should incorporate family-based components, particularly in contexts characterized by authoritarian parenting.