REVIEW PAPER
Psychological strength as a mediator of the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in young people: a literature review
1
Faculty of Medicine, University of Opole, Opole, Poland
Submission date: 2026-03-19
Final revision date: 2026-04-25
Acceptance date: 2026-04-28
Online publication date: 2026-05-07
Corresponding author
Nikodem Michalski
Faculty of Medicine, University of Opole, Plac Kopernika 11a, 45-040 Opole, Poland
Faculty of Medicine, University of Opole, Plac Kopernika 11a, 45-040 Opole, Poland
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to review literature and synthesize data published between 2023 and 2026 on the relationship between physical activity, psychological strength, and depressive symptoms in young people, with particular emphasis on the mediating role of psychological strength. A literature search was conducted in the Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink databases. The analysis included empirical cross-sectional, longitudinal, and interventional studies, as well as systematic reviews and meta-analyses examining the relationship between physical activity, constructs related to psychological strength, including resilience, and depressive symptoms. The results indicate a consistent inverse relationship between physical activity levels and the severity of depressive symptoms in young people. Longitudinal studies suggest a possible directional relationship, while interventional studies indicate a small to moderate antidepressant effect of physical exercise. Mediation analyses show that resilience may partially mediate the relationship between physical activity and mental health outcomes, accounting for a significant portion of the total effect in this age group. These results suggest that resilience is an important and potentially modifiable protective factor against depressive symptoms in young people and may be one of the important mechanisms through which physical activity supports mental health and prevention of depression.
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