Social-emotional functioning explains the effects of physical activity on academic performance among Chinese primary school students: a mediation analysis
Open accessAbstract
Objective To examine the mediating effects of socioemotional and behavioral functioning in the association between physical activity and academic achievement in Chinese children.Study design Chinese children (n = 17 318; aged 6-11 years) from the Shanghai Children's Health, Education and Lifestyle Evaluation study in 2014 were the source of data. Children reported the time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities (MVPA) during weekdays and weekends. Parents rated their children's socioemotional and behavioral difficulties. Head teachers rated the academic performance of each student. A mediation analysis with multiple mediators was performed to test the mediation effects of 5 socioemotional and behavioral variables (emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity and inattention, peer relationship, and prosocial behaviors) in the association between MVPA and academic achievement, adjusting for demographic and health-related variables.Results Results revealed that MVPA was positively associated with academic performance (b = 0.78; SE = .01; P < .001). Conduct problems, hyperactivity and inattention, and peer problems showed significant mediating effects in the association between MVPA and academic achievement, with hyperactivity and inattention being the strongest mediator (b = 0.38; SE = 0.04; P < .001) accounting for 49% of the total effect.Conclusions This study provides evidence that MVPA is associated with fewer socioemotional difficulties, which, in turn, is associated with better academic achievement. Promoting physical activity among school-aged children may benefit their overall development.
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The method of collecting exercise time in the form of self-report has been widely used in existing studies, and its reliability and validity have been widely recognized.
“The method of collecting exercise time in the form of self-report has been widely used in existing studies, and the reliability and validity of this method have also been widely recognized [15,16].”
Engagement in moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity both on weekdays and on weekends is associated with better academic performance among Chinese primary school students.
“Engagement in moderate to vigorous-intensity physical activity both on weekdays and on weekends is associated with better academic performance among Chinese primary school students.81”
From Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020) (2020) · cites this paper as [81]
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Zhang, Y., Niu, L., Zhang, D., Ip, P., Ho, F., Jiang, Y., Sun, W., Zhu, Q., & Jiang, F.
- Affiliations
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University (CN)
- Fordham University (US)
- University of Georgia (US)
- Queen Mary Hospital (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Jiang, Fan
- Venue
- The Journal of Pediatrics
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-05
- Volume
- 208
- Pages
- 74-80
- ISSN
- 0022-3476 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2908118848
- Cited by
- 13
- References
- 59
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 0.86
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- eprints.gla.ac.uk
- Licence
- Locations
- The Journal of Pediatrics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission (GWIV-36)
- Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (81422040, 81602870)
- Shanghai Municipal Education Commission (HJTY-2018-D04)
- Ministry of Education New Century Excellent Talents (NCET-13-0362)
- Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (14441904004)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Children's Physical and Motor Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Keywords
- physical activity, academic performance, social-emotional functioning, behavioral problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, prosocial behavior, emotional problems, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, elementary school students, mediation, Chinese children
- MeSH terms
- Academic Performance, Child, China, Emotions, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Risk Factors, Social Behavior, Exercise, Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders, Asian People
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