The Influence of Social Support on Physical Activity in Chinese Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Exercise Self-Efficacy

Z Ren, L Hu, JJ Yu, Q Yu, S Chen, Y Ma, J Lin, L Yang, X Li, L Zou

Research output: Contribution to JournalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations of social support and self-efficacy with physical Activity (PA) and the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between social support and PA in Chinese adolescents. Participants included a total of 2341 Chinese adolescents (aged 12.75 ± 1.46 years). Self-reported instruments, including the physical activity questionnaire for adolescents, the social support revalued scale and the exercise self-efficacy scale, were used to measure physical activity, social support and exercise self-efficacy. Results showed that social support (r = 0.29, p < 0.05) and exercise self-efficacy (r = 0.43, p < 0.05) were significant and positive predictors of PA among Chinese adolescents, and exercise self-efficacy was a significant mediator in the relationship between social support and PA (standardized effect size = 0.15, p < 0.001). Such findings were evident with similar patterns in both male and female adolescents. The findings of this study have indicated the importance of social support and exercise self-efficacy on PA promotion in adolescents, which will aid the development of effective interventions in this population.
Original languageEnglish
Article number23
Pages (from-to)1-11
Number of pages11
JournalChildren (Basel)
Volume7
Issue number3
Early online date20 Mar 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Mar 2020

Bibliographical note

Special Issue: Active Transportation and Independent Mobility in Children and Adolescents.

Funding

Funding: This research was funded by Key project of Guangdong education science, (grant number, 2018ZQJK044), Philosophy and Social Sciences in Guangdong Province (grant number, GD16CTY03) and Key project of Shenzhen education science in 2018 (grant number, zdfz18008).

FundersFunder number
Guangdong education science2018ZQJK044
Key project of Shenzhen education science in 2018zdfz18008
Philosophy and Social Sciences in Guangdong ProvinceGD16CTY03

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