The mediational role of positive youth development in the relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life in adolescents from urban and rural environments

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to analyse the role of the 5Cs of Positive Youth Development (PYD) in the relationship between physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), in a sample of adolescents enrolled at public secondary schools in both rural and urban environments in Huelva (Spain). The sample comprised 418 adolescents (Mean age = 14.40; SD = 1.20; 53% boys). A cross-sectional design was employed. PA (PAQ-A), Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (KIDMED), PYD and HRQoL (KIDSCREEN-27) were assessed using self-report questionnaires. The results indicated that adolescents from rural environments were more physically active and achieved higher scores in PYD and HRQoL dimensions compared to those from urban environments. Mediation analyses demonstrated that the competence dimension of PYD positively mediated the relationship between PA and HRQoL. Consequently, this study highlights the importance of implementing PA interventions considering PYD and its positive impact on HRQoL.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• subjective well-being
• positive youth development
• adolescence
• environment
• mediation

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the teachers at the high schools for their support in sample collection. We also thank all participating adolescents for their collaboration in the research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Database of this study is available upon request from the corresponding author. The data is not public due to ethical or privacy restrictions.

Ethical statement

All procedures performed in studies with human participants were approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Huelva (Spain) (0735-N-23) and were in accordance with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments. Both the participating students and their parents or legal guardians were previously informed and gave their informed consent.

Additional information

Funding

This work and the APC was supported by the Excellence Research Projects Fund of the Consejería de Universidad, Investigación e Innovación of the Junta de Andalucía, grant number [PROYEXCEL_00303], awarded to D.G-B.