Open Access

ARTICLE

Relationship between Resilience and Physical Activity in Adolescents: The Role of Family Functioning

Dingmeng Mao¹, Guannan Bai², Lin Yang^3,4,5, Jane Jie Yu^1,*

1 Department of Sports Science, College of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
2 Department of Child Health Care, Children’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, 310052, China
3 Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Alberta Health Services, Calgary, AB T2S 3C3, Canada
4 Department of Oncology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N2, Canada
5 Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada

* Corresponding Author: Jane Jie Yu. Email:

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion 2025, 27(9), 1221-1235. https://doi.org/10.32604/ijmhp.2025.069810

Received 01 July 2025; Accepted 10 September 2025; Issue published 30 September 2025

Abstract

Background: Physical inactivity among adolescents has become a global public health challenge, with over 80% failing to meet the recommendations of the WHO for activity levels. Existing research predominantly examines how physical activity (PA) enhances resilience, while the predictive role of resilience in PA, particularly its interaction with family factors, has received limited attention. This study aimed to examine the associations between resilience and PA among adolescents, focusing on family functioning and gender differences. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 909 Chinese adolescents (463 males and 446 females, aged 13.3 ± 0.5 years) completed the following validated self-report instruments: the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale with 10 items, the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children, and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale II-Chinese version that was used to categorize family functioning into three types (i.e., lower, balanced, and higher). The generalized linear mixed-effect model (GLMM) was used to determine the contribution of resilience and its interaction with family functioning type on PA after adjusting for age and gender. Results: Males presented significantly higher resilience and PA levels (both p < 0.001) as well as better family functioning (p < 0.01) than females. Compared with the lower functioning group, participants from higher-functioning families showed superior resilience and PA (both p < 0.001). The GLMM analysis revealed a positive relationship between resilience and PA (p < 0.001), where the lower functioning group was significantly weaker than the higher functioning group. Conclusion: Resilience and PA in adolescents vary across gender and family functioning type, with males and adolescents from better-functioning families outperforming their peers. Resilience is a positive predictor of PA in adolescents, with family functioning type being a crucial moderator of such a relationship.

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Keywords

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