IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i5p4441-d1085433.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

“What If Others Think I Look Like…” The Moderating Role of Social Physique Anxiety and Sex in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction in Swiss Adolescents

Author

Listed:
  • Silvia Meyer

    (Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 62, 4055 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Christin Lang

    (Department of Sport, Exercise, and Health, University of Basel, Grosse Allee 6, 4052 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Sebastian Ludyga

    (Department of Sport, Exercise, and Health, University of Basel, Grosse Allee 6, 4052 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Alexander Grob

    (Department of Psychology, University of Basel, Missionsstrasse 62, 4055 Basel, Switzerland)

  • Markus Gerber

    (Department of Sport, Exercise, and Health, University of Basel, Grosse Allee 6, 4052 Basel, Switzerland)

Abstract

Background: Physical activity has been shown to have a positive effect on life satisfaction in adolescents. Despite these benefits, physical activity levels constantly drop during adolescence, suggesting potential interfering factors in this link. Since worries about physical appearance are an important issue at this age, this study aims to examine the relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction in adolescents and explores possible moderating effects of social physique anxiety and sex. Methods: We used data from a longitudinal study with N = 864 vocational students (mean age = 17.87 years, range: 16–25, 43% female) from Switzerland. To test our hypotheses, we used multiple hierarchical regression analyses as well as simple slope analyses. Results: We did not find a significant direct effect of physical activity on life satisfaction. However, we found a significant two-way interaction between physical activity and social physique anxiety. An additional significant three-way interaction occurred, indicating that a positive effect of physical activity on life satisfaction holds only for female adolescents with low social physique anxiety levels. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of developing a healthy relationship with one’s body to fully benefit from physical activity, especially for female adolescents. Taken together, these results reveal important considerations for physical activity educators.

Suggested Citation

  • Silvia Meyer & Christin Lang & Sebastian Ludyga & Alexander Grob & Markus Gerber, 2023. "“What If Others Think I Look Like…” The Moderating Role of Social Physique Anxiety and Sex in the Relationship between Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction in Swiss Adolescents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-15, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4441-:d:1085433
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4441/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/4441/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shannon Suldo & E. Huebner, 2006. "Is Extremely High Life Satisfaction During Adolescence Advantageous?," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 78(2), pages 179-203, September.
    2. Vilhjalmsson, Runar & Kristjansdottir, Gudrun, 2003. "Gender differences in physical activity in older children and adolescents: the central role of organized sport," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 363-374, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shachar, Keren & Ronen-Rosenbaum, Tammie & Rosenbaum, Michael & Orkibi, Hod & Hamama, Liat, 2016. "Reducing child aggression through sports intervention: The role of self-control skills and emotions," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 241-249.
    2. Daniel Shek & Xiang Li, 2016. "Perceived School Performance, Life Satisfaction, and Hopelessness: A 4-Year Longitudinal Study of Adolescents in Hong Kong," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 126(2), pages 921-934, March.
    3. Maria Aymerich & Ramon Cladellas & Antoni Castelló & Ferran Casas & Mònica Cunill, 2021. "The Evolution of Life Satisfaction Throughout Childhood and Adolescence: Differences in Young People’s Evaluations According to Age and Gender," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 14(6), pages 2347-2369, December.
    4. Ahmet Satilmis & Behcet Oznacar & Huseyin Uzunboylu & Ercan Yılmaz, 2018. "The life satisfaction of teachers at work place, research of structural equation modelling regarding general and organized cynicism," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Anton Kalén & Alexandra Pérez-Ferreirós & Ezequiel Rey & Alexis Padrón-Cabo, 2017. "Senior and youth national team competitive experience: influence on player and team performance in European basketball championships," International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(6), pages 832-847, November.
    6. Sorek, Yoa, 2020. "Grandparental and overall social support as resilience factors in coping with parental conflict among children of divorce," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    7. Małgorzata Szcześniak & Iga Bajkowska & Anna Czaprowska & Aleksandra Sileńska, 2022. "Adolescents’ Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction: Communication with Peers as a Mediator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-13, March.
    8. Xidan Chen & Andrew Page, 2016. "Stability and Instability of Subjective Well-Being in the Transition from Adolescence to Young Adulthood: Longitudinal Evidence from 20991 Young Australians," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(5), pages 1-15, May.
    9. Jordan A. Booker & Julie C. Dunsmore, 2019. "Testing Direct and Indirect Ties of Self-Compassion with Subjective Well-Being," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 20(5), pages 1563-1585, June.
    10. Ali Eryilmaz, 2012. "A Model for Subjective Well-Being in Adolescence: Need Satisfaction and Reasons for Living," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 107(3), pages 561-574, July.
    11. Jorge J. Varela & Constanza González & Mónica Bravo-Sanzana & Roberto Melipillán & Fernando Reyes-Reyes & Daniela Pacheco-Olmedo, 2024. "School Violence, School Bonding and Adherence to School Norms and its Association with Life Satisfaction Among Chilean and Foreign Students," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 17(1), pages 31-56, February.
    12. Dendup, Tashi & Putra, I Gusti Ngurah Edi & Dorji, Tandin & Tobgay, Tashi & Dorji, Gampo & Phuntsho, Sonam & Tshering, Pandup, 2020. "Correlates of sedentary behaviour among Bhutanese adolescents: Findings from the 2016 Global School-based health survey," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    13. Xiaoqin Zhu & Daniel T. L. Shek, 2021. "Problem Behavior and Life Satisfaction in Early Adolescence: Longitudinal Findings in a Chinese Context," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(7), pages 2889-2914, October.
    14. Rikke Lambertz-Nilssen Hjort & Sine Agergaard, 2022. "Sustaining Equality and Equity. A Scoping Review of Interventions Directed towards Promoting Access to Leisure Time Physical Activity for Children and Youth," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-17, January.
    15. Katharina Rathmann & Max Herke & Ludwig Bilz & Arja Rimpelä & Klaus Hurrelmann & Matthias Richter, 2018. "Class-Level School Performance and Life Satisfaction: Differential Sensitivity for Low- and High-Performing School-Aged Children," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, December.
    16. Lea Susanne Faerber & Dennis C. Ahrholdt & Oliver Schnittka & Zeinab Rezvani, 2021. "Visitor characteristics matter: how the positive impact of visit duration on visitor satisfaction at visitor attractions is moderated," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 91(3), pages 333-351, April.
    17. Carmel Proctor & P. Linley & John Maltby, 2009. "Youth Life Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 10(5), pages 583-630, October.
    18. Sorek, Yoa, 2019. "Children of divorce evaluate their quality of life: The moderating effect of psychological processes," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    19. Belén López-Pérez & Belén Fernández-Castilla, 2018. "Children’s and Adolescents’ Conceptions of Happiness at School and Its Relation with Their Own Happiness and Their Academic Performance," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 19(6), pages 1811-1830, August.
    20. Bram Spruyt & Lauren Vandenbossche & Gil Keppens & Jessy Siongers & Filip Van Droogenbroeck, 2018. "Social Differences in Leisure Boredom and its Consequences for Life Satisfaction Among Young People," Child Indicators Research, Springer;The International Society of Child Indicators (ISCI), vol. 11(1), pages 225-243, February.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:4441-:d:1085433. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.