Exploring the structural links between peer support, psychological resilience, and exercise adherence in adolescents: a multigroup model across gender and educational stages

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Abstract
This study explored the associations among peer support, psychological resilience, and exercise adherence in adolescents, paying particular attention to different gender groups and educational stages. Psychological resilience was regarded as a potential explanatory mechanism in the relationship between peer support and exercise adherence. A cross-sectional study with a mixed approach was conducted in Zhejiang Province, China (2023), involving a total of 2,137 adolescents (aged 10–18; 49.6% were girls), who completed three standardized questionnaires measuring psychological resilience, peer support, and exercise adherence. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 students, teachers and parents. Male students scored higher than female students in terms of psychological resilience, peer support, and exercise adherence (p < 0.001). Elementary and middle school students scored higher than high school students across three dimensions, with elementary school students also performing better than middle school students (p < 0.001). There was a positive association between peer support and exercise adherence, with psychological resilience shown as a potential mediating factor. Multi-group analysis revealed stronger direct associations between peer support and exercise adherence among males and middle school students. Qualitative interviews indicated that peer support influenced adolescents exercise adherence through multi-level mechanisms. The understanding of peer support and psychological resilience among adolescents developed progressively at different educational stages, and there were differences in the development trends of different genders. The interviews also showed that the match of peer skill levels was a key condition for the effectiveness of support, and that the victory experience in sports might help adolescents form a positive cycle. Peer support not only directly enhanced psychological resilience in sports scenarios, but also transferred the cultivated target concentration and emotional regulation ability to academic and life fields through the "springboard effect". This research emphasized the roles of peer support and psychological resilience in promoting exercise adherence among adolescents, which showed distinct pathways across different gender and developmental stages. The results highlighted the need to create a better peer support environment and improve psychological resilience.
Funding Information
  • Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2021TD010, 2024TZJK008)
  • Open Project of Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders (2020JSJB02)

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