Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 13, 2026
08:45
Assessment of Physical Activity Intensity with Accelerometers and Oxygen Consumption
Published on: June 20, 2025
509
Correlation Between Physical Activity and Psychological Problems in Secondary School Students in Spain
Pablo Pueyo Gutiérrez-Rivas1, Demetrio Lozano1, Alberto Roso-Moliner1
1Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad San Jorge, Autovía A23 km 299, Villanueva de Gállego, 50830 Zaragoza, Spain.
Sports (Basel, Switzerland)
|October 28, 2025
Summary
Regular physical activity is linked to better adolescent mental health. Engaging in sports, especially team sports, significantly reduces anxiety, depression, and stress in young people.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent health
- Sports science
- Psychology
Background:
- Physical activity (PA) is recognized for its protective effects on adolescent mental health.
- Adolescent mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress are significant public health concerns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the association between physical activity levels and mental health outcomes (anxiety, depression, stress) in adolescents.
- To explore how gender, educational stage, and sport type influence this association.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 106 Spanish secondary school students (ages 12-16).
- Data collected via self-reported physical activity questionnaires and the DASS-21 scale.
- Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and adjusted residual analyses.
Main Results:
- A significant negative association was found between physical activity and anxiety, stress, and depression.
- Non-athletes reported higher levels of psychological distress compared to active adolescents.
- Girls and older students exhibited greater vulnerability to psychological problems. Team sports participation was linked to lower anxiety and stress than individual sports.
Conclusions:
- Higher engagement in physical activity, particularly team sports, is associated with improved adolescent mental health.
- Integrating regular physical activity into school settings is crucial for supporting adolescent psychological well-being.
Related Concept Videos
02:20Correlations
35.7K
Correlation means that there is a relationship between two or more variables (such as ice cream consumption and crime), but this relationship does not necessarily imply cause and effect. When two variables are correlated, it simply means that as one variable changes, so does the other. We can measure correlation by calculating a statistic known as a correlation coefficient. A correlation coefficient is a number from -1 to +1 that indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between...
35.7K
02:04Bullying
8.8K
A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
8.8K
01:20Psychological Responses to Stress
472
Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...
472
01:30Stress and Mental Health
677
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
677
02:20Longitudinal Research
13.1K
Sometimes we want to see how people change over time, as in studies of human development and lifespan. When we test the same group of individuals repeatedly over an extended period of time, we are conducting longitudinal research. Longitudinal research is a research design in which data-gathering is administered repeatedly over an extended period of time. For example, we may survey a group of individuals about their dietary habits at age 20, retest them a decade later at age 30, and then again...
13.1K
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
18.9K
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
18.9K