ArticlePloS one2025
From physical self-esteem to sports participation: The mediating role of exercise motivation and social support in adolescents.
Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of different types of physical activities on self-esteem in typically developing children and adolescents: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in public health · 2026Pooled it
- Article
- Beyond the huddle: a comparative analysis of sense of belonging, group cohesion and interpersonal closeness in rugby, soccer, and basketball.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Social support and psychological safety in university volleyball: a qualitative study of sustained participation.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- From social support to subjective wellbeing: the sequential roles of enjoyment-based exercise motivation and flow experience among physically active women.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- How does rest intolerance affect physical exercise? A dual-pathway mediation model of exercise adherence and psychological resilience.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
- The impact of social support on the quality of sports participation among individuals with disabilities: the chain mediating effects of psychological capital and self-esteem.Frontiers in psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study examines the mechanisms linking physical self-esteem to adolescents' sports participation, emphasizing the mediating roles of exercise motivation and social support. It aims to establish a comprehensive framework that integrates psychological and social factors to understand sports behavior among adolescents.
methodA total of 2,588 adolescents from various regions in China were surveyed using validated scales for physical self-esteem, exercise motivation, social support, and sports participation. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to assess direct, mediated, and sequential mediation effects.
resultsThe analysis confirmed that physical self-esteem significantly predicts sports participation directly (β = 0.094, p < 0.001). Exercise motivation and social support act as mediators, explaining 33.26% and 16.74% of the total effect, respectively. Sequential mediation analysis showed that physical self-esteem influences sports participation through the combined effects of exercise motivation and social support, contributing 29.61% to the total effect. Demographic analyses revealed that males, rural adolescents, and middle school students exhibit higher levels of self-esteem, motivation, and sports participation. Group differences were analyzed based on demographic variables, including gender, grade level, and family location.
conclusionThis study underscores the critical roles of psychological traits and social contexts in shaping adolescents' sports participation. By revealing the mediating and sequential mediation effects of exercise motivation and social support, the research highlights pathways for targeted interventions. Schools and communities should focus on enhancing physical self-esteem and fostering supportive social networks to encourage sports participation. Future studies should incorporate longitudinal designs and explore cultural and regional variations to extend these findings.
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