Publicação
Moderate to vigorous physical activity in Portuguese adolescents Secular trends and the mediating effects of self-esteem and body satisfaction on mental health
| Resumo: | A growing body of research has documented the physical, social and mental health benefits of moderate to vigorous physical activity in youth. However, secular trends and the psychological mechanisms through which these benefits occur are less explored fields of research in Portuguese adolescents. Therefore, the present thesis has a twofold aim: 1) to examine the secular trends in self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity among Portuguese youth, over a 10-year period, and 2) to investigate the self-esteem and body image mediating mechanisms underlying the association between physical activity and mental health in adolescents, including its impact on both positive (psychological well-being) and negative (social anxiety) aspects of mental health. The first aim was addressed in Study 1, which compared two cross-sectional cohorts of youngsters aged 12–18 years, recruited in 2006 (N = 1010; 461 boys and 549 girls) and in 2016 (N = 1096; 461 boys and 635 girls), using identical procedures and instruments. Main results showed a considerable decline in the overall levels of physical activity between 2006 and 2016 (−10.8%), as well as a small and declining proportion of adolescents achieving the international physical activity recommendations (2006: 10.7%; 2016: 8.1%). Age and sex-specific comparisons by time periods indicated that moderate to vigorous physical activity levels were generally lower in the older adolescents, that the 13- and 14-year-old male adolescents reported lower levels of physical activity in 2016 than their counterparts in 2006, and that the difference in physical activity levels between the youngest (age 12) and the oldest (age 18) subgroups was higher in girls, in both 2006 and 2016. The second aim of this thesis was explored in Study 2, by testing a direct and indirect relationships model, using path analysis. A total of 924 adolescents (530 girls and 394 boys), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.10, SD = 1.78), completed self-report measures of physical activity, global self-esteem, body image satisfaction, psychological well-being and social anxiety. Main results showed that the effects of physical activity on different positive and negative dimensions of mental health in adolescents are mainly mediated by self-esteem and body satisfaction. The only exception observed was, the direct, positive effect of physical activity on the purpose in life dimension of Ryff's (1989) psychological well-being model. Taken together, these findings support the development and implementation of (more) effective interventions aimed at promoting an active lifestyle in adolescents, contributing to their healthy growth and development during this critical period of life. |
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| Autores principais: | Fernandes, Hélder Miguel Graça |
| Assunto: | Physical activity self-esteem |
| Ano: | 2021 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | tese de doutoramento |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório da UTAD |
| Resumo: | A growing body of research has documented the physical, social and mental health benefits of moderate to vigorous physical activity in youth. However, secular trends and the psychological mechanisms through which these benefits occur are less explored fields of research in Portuguese adolescents. Therefore, the present thesis has a twofold aim: 1) to examine the secular trends in self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity among Portuguese youth, over a 10-year period, and 2) to investigate the self-esteem and body image mediating mechanisms underlying the association between physical activity and mental health in adolescents, including its impact on both positive (psychological well-being) and negative (social anxiety) aspects of mental health. The first aim was addressed in Study 1, which compared two cross-sectional cohorts of youngsters aged 12–18 years, recruited in 2006 (N = 1010; 461 boys and 549 girls) and in 2016 (N = 1096; 461 boys and 635 girls), using identical procedures and instruments. Main results showed a considerable decline in the overall levels of physical activity between 2006 and 2016 (−10.8%), as well as a small and declining proportion of adolescents achieving the international physical activity recommendations (2006: 10.7%; 2016: 8.1%). Age and sex-specific comparisons by time periods indicated that moderate to vigorous physical activity levels were generally lower in the older adolescents, that the 13- and 14-year-old male adolescents reported lower levels of physical activity in 2016 than their counterparts in 2006, and that the difference in physical activity levels between the youngest (age 12) and the oldest (age 18) subgroups was higher in girls, in both 2006 and 2016. The second aim of this thesis was explored in Study 2, by testing a direct and indirect relationships model, using path analysis. A total of 924 adolescents (530 girls and 394 boys), aged between 12 and 18 years (M = 15.10, SD = 1.78), completed self-report measures of physical activity, global self-esteem, body image satisfaction, psychological well-being and social anxiety. Main results showed that the effects of physical activity on different positive and negative dimensions of mental health in adolescents are mainly mediated by self-esteem and body satisfaction. The only exception observed was, the direct, positive effect of physical activity on the purpose in life dimension of Ryff's (1989) psychological well-being model. Taken together, these findings support the development and implementation of (more) effective interventions aimed at promoting an active lifestyle in adolescents, contributing to their healthy growth and development during this critical period of life. |
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