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Published on: March 7, 2019
Body esteem is a mediator of the association between physical activity and depression in Korean adolescents
Sun-Mi Chae1, Hee Sun Kang2, Jin Suk Ra3
1College of Nursing, The Research Institute of Nursing Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Purpose:
This study examined whether body-esteem would mediate the association between physical activity and depression in adolescents.
Methods:
A total of 848 Korean high school students aged 15 to 18years completed a questionnaire on body-esteem, physical activity recall, and depression. Path analysis was used to test mediating effects of body-esteem on the association between physical activity and depression.
Results:
Girls showed a significantly higher level of depressive symptoms than boys. Boys showed significantly higher levels of physical activity and body-esteem than girls. Body-esteem mediated the relation of physical activity with depression.
Conclusions:
Physical activity might reduce the risk of depression in addition to supporting body-esteem in adolescents. Interventions that reinforce healthy body-esteem and encourage physical activity would help prevent depression in adolescents. Future studies should examine the effects of programs addressing physical activity and body-esteem among adolescents with depressive symptoms.
Related Concept Videos
Benefits of Self-Esteem
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Sources of Self-Esteem II: Performance Feedback
Self-Discrepancy Theory

