The Effect of Exercise on School Life Satisfaction in Korean Children and Adolescents Considering the Mediation Effects of Physical Health Awareness, Self-Esteem, and Depression

Abstract

Background: This study analyzed physical health awareness, self-esteem, and depression as mediation factors in the effect of exercise on school life satisfaction. It compared these between Korean children and adolescents.

Methods: Based on the 2020 Survey on the Human Rights of Children and Adolescents in Korea, data were extracted on 2,896 children in grades 4 to 6 and 5,727 adolescents in grades 7 to 12. A structural equation model was designed and multi-mediation analysis was conducted using phantom variables. To verify the differences between children and adolescents, latent means, path coefficients, and mediating effect confidence intervals were analyzed.

Results: Structural modeling and bootstrapping revealed that the direct and indirect paths were significant in both groups (P<0.01). Comparing the mean differences, children showed higher means than adolescents did in all variables. Among the direct paths, the paths of physical health awareness from exercise practice and school life satisfaction from physical health awareness were higher in adolescents (P<0.01), and the path of school life satisfaction from exercise practice was higher in children (P<0.01). The indirect paths showed that the mediating effect of health awareness between exercise and school life satisfaction was stronger among adolescents.

Conclusion: Physical and mental health directly and indirectly affect school life satisfaction, with different patterns in children and adolescents. This study emphasizes the need for different strategies for children and adolescents who are experiencing physical and mental health problems and difficulties adjusting to school life.