Sport participation,body satisfaction and depressive symptoms in adolescence: a moderated-mediation analysis of gender differences |
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| Authors: | Diego Gomez-Baya Ramon Mendoza Margarida Gaspar de Matos Alvaro Tomico |
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| Institution: | 1. Psychology Department, Universidad Loyola Andalucia, Sevilla, Spain;2. Social, Developmental and Educational Psychology Department, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain;3. Faculty of Human Kinetics, University of Lisboa, Cruz Quebrada-Dafundo, Portugal |
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| Abstract: | This research aimed to analyse the partial mediating role of body satisfaction in the relationship between sport participation and depressive symptoms, as well as to examine the moderating role of gender in these associations. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 1810 adolescents aged 13–18 years old who completed self-report measures regarding sport participation, body satisfaction and depressive symptoms. The results indicated that a higher frequency of sport participation was associated with a lower presence of depressive symptoms, both directly and through greater body satisfaction, although gender differences were found in this partial mediation model. It was detected that sport participation had a greater effect on positive body satisfaction among boys, whereas body dissatisfaction indicated a greater presence of depressive symptoms among girls. The results emphasize the need to implement gender-specific programmes to improve psychological adjustment in adolescents by promoting sport practice and body acceptance. |
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| Keywords: | Sport depressive symptoms body satisfaction gender adolescence |
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