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ARTICLE
Cross-Lagged Relationship between Physical Activity
Time, Openness and Depression Symptoms among
Adolescents: Evidence from China
Xiaojie Cao
1
, Qinyu Zhang
2
and Xinqiao Liu
3,
*
1
Graduate School of Education, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
2
School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200025, China
3
School of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, China
*Corresponding Author: Xinqiao Liu. Email: xinqiaoliu@pku.edu.cn
Received: 14 February 2023 Accepted: 03 April 2023 Published: 10 August 2023
ABSTRACT
The relationship between physical activity time, openness and depression symptoms among adolescents is a cutting-edge research
direction in the field, yet it remains unclear. This study is based on a sample of 7924 students from a nationally representative
China Education Panel Survey database and examines the bidirectional relationships between physical activity time, openness
and depression symptoms among Chinese adolescents. Descriptive analysis showed that during the 7th and 8th grades, the
average physical activity time decreased to less than one hour per day, accompanied by a decreasing trend in openness and a
slight worsening in depression symptoms. Correlation analysis showed a significant negative correlation between physical
activity time and depression symptoms, a significant positive correlation between physical activity time and openness, and a
significant negative correlation between depression symptoms and openness. The results from cross-lagged models indicated a
bidirectional relationship between physical activity time and openness, with physical activity time significantly positively
predicting openness in the following year and openness significantly positively predicting physical activity time in the
following year. In addition, depression symptoms had a unidirectional negative predictive effect on openness. The conclusions
provide empirical evidence for education administration and schools to promote the physical and mental health development
of adolescents worldwide.
KEYWORDS
Physical activity time; depression; openness; adolescents
Introduction
Adequate physical activity time is essential for the
development of adolescents’physical and mental health
[1–4]. Unfortunately, the reality of physical activities
globally is far from optimistic, particularly with regards to
insufficient physical activity time. More than 80% of
adolescents worldwide do not meet the World Health
Organization recommendation of one hour of moderate-to-
vigorous aerobic activity per day [5]. In Europe, only a
quarter of boys and 15% of girls reach the recommended
amount of time for physical activity [6]. The situation is
even worse in sub-Saharan Africa, where only 13.8% of
adolescents receive the recommended physical activity time
[7]. In China, nearly 85% of young people face a lack of
adequate physical activity [8], with only approximately one-
fifth of students meeting the standard of one hour of
physical activity per day. In addition, their physical activity
levels tend to decrease as they get older [9]. Considering the
pressing issue of adolescents lacking sufficient physical
activity time and the importance of physical activity, it is
necessary to investigate the key factors that influence
adolescents’physical activity time.
Studies have suggested a close association between
physical activity time and depression symptoms [10]and
that physical activity may have potential benefits for
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DOI: 10.32604/ijmhp.2023.029365
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
depression symptoms [11]. Adolescents are alarmingly
susceptible to depression symptoms, with a sharp increase
in onset occurring around the age of 13 [12–16]. The
global prevalence of depression in adolescents has reached
4.5% [17,18], and the rate of depression symptoms in
Chinese adolescents was 18.4% before 2000 and increased
to 26.3% after 2016 [19]. During the COVID-19 pandemic,
the overall prevalence of depression symptoms in children
and adolescents increased to 28.6% [20], which is related to
a decrease in physical activity time [21]. Moreover,
depression symptoms in adolescents can have numerous
adverse consequences [22–25], significantly increasing the
risk of depression relapse in adulthood [26]and,insevere
cases, leading to suicidal ideation and behavior [19].
Depression symptoms refer to a range of symptoms,
including low mood, decreased interest in activities and
appetite, which require clinical assessment for the diagnosis
of depression disorder [27], a mood disorder characterized
mainly by depressed mood and a range of severe
depression symptoms [28]. In this study, we measured
depression symptoms in adolescents using questionnaires.
Meanwhile, recent studies indicate that lower openness is a
significant predictor of depression symptoms [29–31]. In
the Big Five personality traits, openness mainly describes
traits of curiosity, open-mindedness, creativity and
emotional richness, and highly open individuals are capable
of employing creative coping strategies to address health
issues [32,33]. Research suggests that openness may
influence health behavior choices [5] and therefore time
spent in physical activity. According to self-determination
theory, individuals engage in certain behaviors to achieve
intrinsic pleasure and satisfaction when driven by internal
motivation [34,35]. High openness individuals are more
likely to be internally motivated to engage in physical
activity and are likely to voluntarily increase their physical
activity time [36]. The principle of maturity in personality
traits also reveals that these traits undergo predictable
changes from adolescence [37], suggesting that openness
may have a predictive relationship with both physical
activity time and depression symptoms in adolescents.
Unfortunately, although physical activity time, openness
and depression symptoms have been proven correlated, the
direction of their interaction remains unclear. The aim of
this study is to investigate the cross-lagged relationship
between physical activity time, openness and depression
symptoms in Chinese adolescents using nationally
representative longitudinal survey data. Clarifying the
bidirectional relationship between these variables is
valuable in providing guidance for the promotion of
adolescent physical and mental health.
Literature Review
Physical activity time and openness
Physical activity time is correlated with openness [36,38–41],
with most studies suggesting a positive relationship between
the two [42,43]. Caille et al. found that openness plays a
protective role in initiating and maintaining physical activity
[43]. Individuals with higher openness tend to be more
curious and enjoy exploring new ideas and experiences,
which may contribute to seeing physical activity as a way to
experience new things [44]. In addition, self-determination
theory posits that higher openness is associated with lower
external regulation [36]. The motivational model suggests
that openness has a positive impact on health motivation,
increasing the likelihood of participating in physical activity
[34]. However, a consensus has not yet been reached. Based
on a meta-analysis of 33 studies, Rhodes et al. found no
association between the personality traits of openness to
experience/intellect and physical activity [45]. Lodewyk et al.
discovered that women with higher openness were more
likely to feel anxious and have low self-efficacy during
physical activity, thereby diminishing the positive impact of
physical activity [46]. Gacek et al.’s survey of Polish and
Spanish students found a positive correlation between
openness and physical activity only among Polish students
[47]. It is worth noting that the relationship between
physical activity time and openness might not be
unidirectional [48]. Most studies are based on cross-
sectional data, and there is little discussion of the
bidirectional relationship between physical activity time and
openness [43]. Data from adults show that openness has a
significant effect on physical activity, but the effect of
physical activity on openness is insignificant [42].
Furthermore, the relevant literature is mainly based on
Western contexts such as Europe and the United States, and
most of the evidence comes from adult populations. This
encourages us to empirically analyze the bidirectional
relationship between these variables in a Chinese context
among adolescents.
Physical activity time and depression symptoms
Prior literature has revealed that prolonged moderate-
intensity physical activity can help alleviate depression
symptoms in adolescents [49]. Evidence from Canada and
Iran suggests that regular physical activity time may reduce
symptoms of depression by increasing confidence and self-
esteem [50,51]. Moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise for
prolonged periods has been shown to reduce the incidence
of depression in adolescents [4]. Six months of moderate-
intensity aerobic exercise has been shown to significantly
increase gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex and
reduce symptoms of depression [52]. A longitudinal study
of 4,257 adolescents in the United States found that a one-
hour daily increase in light physical activity between the
ages of 12 and 16 was associated with an 8%–11% reduction
in depression symptom scores [53]. However, some studies
have produced inconsistent results and suggested that
physical activity may have no clinical benefit on depression
symptoms [54,55]. The literature has focused more on the
unidirectional relationship between physical activity time
and depression symptoms in adolescents [1], but the effect
of depression symptoms on physical activity time has
received little attention. Therefore, the bidirectional
relationship between physical activity time and depression
symptoms remains unclear and merits further investigation.
1010 IJMHP, 2023, vol.25, no.9
Depression symptoms and openness
Previous literature has posited that there is a correlation
between openness and depression symptoms [31,56,57].
Several studies have found that people with lower openness
show more symptoms of depression [29–31]. People with
lower levels of openness are less likely to derive pleasure
from social relationships and activities [58] and lack
appreciation for the arts, creativity, and curiosity about
different emotional experiences and new ideas. This may
reflect their lower ability to cope with depression symptoms
and other negative emotions [59,60], thus making them
more vulnerable to depression symptoms. At the cognitive
level, rigid, closed-minded individuals (low openness) are
less able to adapt to change than flexible, open-minded
individuals (high openness), making them more vulnerable
to depression symptoms [61]. However, current findings are
not unambiguous. For example, Zhao et al., Klein et al., and
Hayward et al. argue that openness and depression
symptoms are not related [58,62,63]. Depression symptoms
can have a transient effect on personality traits [64–67],
particularly in children and adolescents [68]. In recent years,
there has been increasing support for the malleability of
personality traits [69,70]. This may be due to the joint
influence of genetic and environmental factors on openness,
with specific factors promoting changes in openness [68].
Longitudinal studies have shown that the average and
individual levels of personality traits can change during
adulthood, suggesting that personality is dynamic and can
change across the lifespan [66]. Openness tends to increase
in early adulthood, remain stable in mid-adulthood, and
then decline in old age [71,72]. However, most current
research focuses on the relationship between openness and
depression symptoms in adults, so more evidence is needed
to clarify the bidirectional relationship between depression
symptoms and openness in adolescents, particularly in
relation to developmental characteristics during adolescence.
Research hypothesis
In conclusion, discussions regarding the relationship between
physical activity time, openness and depression symptoms
among adolescents have yet to reach a consensus, leaving
space for further exploration. In particular, there is a lack of
empirical evidence based on the Chinese adolescent context.
Additionally, adolescents around the age of 13 (typically the
7th grade of junior high school in China) are at a critical
stage of mental health and personality development
[12,13,16,37]. It is important to identify and address
potential problems at this stage in a timely and proactive
manner to promote positive future development. The
research aims to investigate the bidirectional relationship
between adolescents’physical activity time, openness, and
depression symptoms in China. Using nationally
representative longitudinal survey data, we empirically
examine the cross-lagged relationship between physical
activity time, openness and depression symptoms among
Chinese adolescents. Based on the literature and the purpose
of our research, we formulate the following hypotheses:
Hypothesis 1: Adolescents’physical activity time and
openness decline while depression symptoms increase
during the 7th and 8th grades.
Hypothesis 2: There is a significant negative correlation
between physical activity time and depression symptoms, a
significant positive correlation between physical activity time
and openness, and a significant negative correlation between
depression symptoms and openness. Moreover, these
variables are hypothesized to demonstrate bidirectional
relationships.
Methods
Participants
The data we use come from the China Education Panel Survey
(CEPS) database. The survey was designed and implemented
by the National Survey Research Center (NSRC) at Renmin
University of China and is a large-scale, nationally
representative tracking survey project. Currently, data from
the two phases of 2013–2014 and 2014–2015 have been
publicly released. The CEPS takes the 2013–2014 academic
year as its baseline, with the 7th grade of junior high school
and the 9th grade of junior high school as its starting point
for the survey. Using a multistage probability proportional
to size (PPS) and whole class sampling design, with the
average educational level of the population and the
proportion of mobile population as stratifying variables, 28
county-level units (counties, districts, and cities) were
randomly selected from across the country as survey sites.
The implementation of the survey is based on schools, and
112 schools and 438 classes were randomly selected from
the selected county-level units. All students in the selected
classes were included in the sample. The first follow-up
survey was conducted in 2014–2015, but only students in
grade 7 at baseline were followed up (i.e., they were in grade
8 in 2014–2015). Therefore, this study selected the same
batch of students who participated in both surveys as
research objects while deleting samples with missing values
and finally retained a sample of 7924 students for empirical
analysis. The mean age of the sample at baseline was 13.514
years (SD = 0.684) according to the data collected.
Measures
Physical activity time
In this study, the average daily physical activity time (in
minutes) of adolescents was obtained by using the CEPS
student questionnaire “How much time on average did you
spend on the following extracurricular activities from
Monday to Friday last week?”and “How much time on
average did you spend on the following extracurricular
activities last weekend?”. Based on actual situations, we
removed an average daily physical activity time of more
than 300 min as an outlier.
Depression symptoms
In this study, depression symptoms were measured by
averaging the scores obtained from four questions in the
CEPS student questionnaire: “Did you feel blue in the past
seven days?”,“Did you feel unhappy in the past seven
days?”,“Did you feel that life was meaningless in the past
seven days?”, and “Did you feel sad in the past seven days?”.
IJMHP, 2023, vol.25, no.9 1011
Each question was rated on a 5-point scale ranging from “1=
never”to “5 = always”. A higher average score indicates a
higher level of depression symptoms among the students.
The reliability coefficients αof the depression symptoms in
the first and second year were 0.811 and 0.889, respectively.
Openness
In this study, the level of openness among students was
measured using the CEPS student questionnaire. The
following items were included: “I was able to express myself
clearly”,“I was able to give quick responses”, and “Iwas
curious about new stuff”. Each item was evaluated using a
4-point scale (ranging from “1 = strongly disagree”to “4=
strongly agree”). The average of the scores of the three items
was taken, with a higher average indicating a higher level of
openness among the students. The reliability coefficients α
of the openness in the first and second year were 0.596 and
0.593, respectively.
Data analysis
First, we conducted a descriptive statistical analysis on the
variables of physical activity time, openness, and depression
symptoms. Next, we explored the bivariate correlation
between these variables using Pearson correlation analysis.
Finally, we used the cross-lagged panel model to empirically
investigate the bidirectional relationships between physical
activity time, openness, and depression symptoms in
Chinese adolescents. The cross-lagged panel model is
typically employed to examine the relationship between two
variables, X and Y, measured at different points in time (T1
and T2, respectively, where T1 precedes T2). Specifically, it
examines the relationships between X at T1 and Y at T2,
and Y at T1 and X at T2. The results can reveal the mutual
relationship between the variables and their directionality,
thereby providing insight into how these variables interact
over time.
Results
Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis
Table 1 shows the mean, standard deviation, minimum,
maximum, skewness, and kurtosis scores of physical activity
time, openness and depression symptoms among Chinese
adolescents. During the 7th and 8th grades, the average
daily physical activity time of the adolescents decreased
from 50.886 to 44.253 min, indicating a gradual decrease in
the time spent on physical activity. In terms of depression
symptoms, the average score increased from 2.008 to 2.145
between the 7th and 8th grades, indicating a slight increase
in their level of depression symptoms. In terms of openness,
the average score was 3.233 in grade 7 and 2.89 in grade 8.
In summary, based on the descriptive data, the trend of
physical activity time and openness among adolescents is
decreasing, while their depression symptoms level is
increasing, indicating a detrimental trend in the level of
physical activity and mental health among Chinese
adolescents, which deserves great attention and immediate
improvement.
TABLE 1
Descriptive statistics of physical activity time, depression symptoms and openness
Variables Year N M SD Min Max Skewness Kurtosis
Physical activity time Year 1 7924 50.886 54.736 0 300 1.56 5.884
Year 2 7924 44.253 35.845 0 300 2.939 16.004
Depression symptoms Year 1 7924 2.008 0.792 1 5 1.024 4.48
Year 2 7924 2.145 0.923 1 5 0.896 3.69
Openness Year 1 7924 3.233 0.576 1 4 −1.045 4.713
Year 2 7924 2.89 0.647 1 4 −0.233 2.836
TABLE 2
Correlation analysis of physical activity time, depression symptoms and openness
Year Variables 1 2 3 4 5 6
Year 1
1. Physical activity time 1.000
2. Depression symptoms −0.058* 1.000
3. Openness 0.112* −0.144* 1.000
Year 2
4. Physical activity time 0.150* −0.031* 0.064* 1.000
5. Depression symptoms −0.031* 0.424* −0.064* −0.034* 1.000
6. Openness 0.088* −0.233* 0.186* 0.077* −0.319* 1.000
Note: *1% significance level.
1012 IJMHP, 2023, vol.25, no.9
Table 2 shows the correlation coefficients between
physical activity time, openness and depression symptoms
among adolescents. In each year, a significant negative
correlation (p< 0.01) was found between physical activity
time and depression symptoms, a significant positive
correlation (p< 0.01) was found between physical activity
time and openness, and a significant negative correlation (p
< 0.01) was found between openness and depression
symptoms. As seen, there is a relatively stable negative
correlation between physical activity time and depression
symptoms and between depression symptoms and openness,
as well as a relatively stable positive correlation between
physical activity time and openness. In addition, significant
positive correlations (p< 0.01) were found between physical
activity time in different years, between depression
symptoms levels in different years, and between openness
levels in different years. This suggests that there is a certain
degree of stability in physical activity time, openness and
depression symptoms among Chinese adolescents over the
two-year period of 7th and 8th grade.
Cross-lagged model
According to the characteristics of the variables, we build a
cross-lagged model, as shown in Fig. 1. A two-wave cross-
lagged model was constructed to examine the relationship
between the variables of physical activity time, openness and
depression symptoms. Fig. 1 shows the model structure for
the full sample. The model fit indices are favorable, with
RMSEA = 0.036, 90% CI = [0.034, 0.038]; CFI = 0.975, TLI
= 0.967; SRMR = 0.021. As illustrated in Fig. 1,the
standardized autoregressive path coefficient for physical
activity time was 0.139 (p< 0.01); for openness, it was 0.188
(p< 0.01); and for depression symptoms, it was 0.491 (p<
0.01). After controlling for autoregression, adolescents’
physical activity time in the first year significantly positively
predicted their openness in the second year (standardized
path coefficient = 0.046; p< 0.01), and adolescents’
openness in the first year significantly positively predicted
their physical activity time in the second year (standardized
path coefficient = 0.073; p< 0.01). Additionally, adolescents’
depression symptoms in the first year significantly
negatively predicted their openness in the second year
(standardized path coefficient = −0.269; p< 0.01), but the
effect of openness in the first year on depression symptoms
in the second year was not significant (standardized path
coefficient = 0.010; p> 0.1). Adolescents’physical activity
time in the first year was found to have a negative effect on
depression symptoms in the second year, but it was not
significant (standardized path coefficient = −0.006; p> 0.1).
Meanwhile, depression symptoms in the first year had a
negative effect on physical activity time in the second year,
but this was also not significant (standardized path
coefficient = −0.009; p> 0.1). In conclusion, there is a
bidirectional relationship between physical activity time and
openness and a unidirectional predictive relationship
between depression symptoms and openness among
Chinese adolescents.
Discussion
This study examined a cross-lagged relationship between
physical activity time, openness and depression symptoms
FIGURE 1. Cross-lagged model of physical activity time, depression symptoms and openness.
IJMHP, 2023, vol.25, no.9 1013
among Chinese adolescents based on survey data collected
from the same cohort of adolescents during 7th and 8th
grade. The conclusion adds new evidence from the Chinese
context to the literature and deepens our understanding of
the relationship between the aforementioned variables.
According to the results of the descriptive analysis, the
average physical activity time among Chinese adolescents in
grades 7 and 8 has decreased, falling short of the World
Health Organization’s recommendation of one hour of
physical activity per day. This trend is consistent with
previous findings [5–7], which indicate that four out of five
adolescents worldwide do not meet the minimum
requirements for physical activity and that physical activity
time decreases with age [72]. This may be due to the
increasing levels of tiredness, laziness, and lack of time as
adolescents get older [73]. Meanwhile, the average level of
openness among Chinese adolescents showed a decreasing
trend, which contrasts with the results of a study of
Estonian adolescents aged 12 to 18 [74]. This may be due to
the nonlinear development of openness among adolescents,
with opposing dynamic changes at different stages, with
most improvements in openness occurring in the later
stages of adolescence [75]. Furthermore, there are significant
cultural differences in the development of adolescent
openness [76], and our study presents the changes in
openness among Chinese adolescents in a cultural context.
In addition, there has been a slight increase in depression
symptoms among Chinese adolescents in grades 7 and 8,
which may be related to pubertal problems and the
increasing burden of education [77–79]. These phenomena
deserve close attention from education administration,
schools and parents.
The results of the correlation analysis indicate that, first,
there is a significant negative correlation between physical
activity time and depression symptoms among Chinese
adolescents. This is consistent with previous findings [10,11]
and has been confirmed in both clinical and nonclinical
samples of depression [11,80]. Second, there is a significant
positive correlation between physical activity time and
openness. This finding is consistent with prior literature
[42,43]. However, it is in contrast to a previous meta-
analysis that found no correlation between physical activity
and openness [45], which may be because the previous
study mostly involved adults and the correlation between
physical activity and openness varies regionally [47]. Third,
our study also found a significant negative correlation
between depression symptoms and openness, which is
consistent with previous research and suggests that higher
levels of openness may be associated with improved mental
health [56,57].
This study further clarified the bidirectional relationship
between physical activity time, openness and depression
symptoms among Chinese adolescents by using cross-lagged
models.
First, physical activity time and openness had a
reciprocal predictive relationship. Adolescents’physical
activity time could significantly positively predict openness
in the following year, and openness could significantly
positively predict physical activity time in the following
year. Our findings align with previous studies by Caille et al.
and Allen et al., who found that openness has a
unidirectional effect on physical activity time [42,43].
Importantly, our research provides further evidence for the
reciprocal predictive relationship between physical activity
time and openness. Individuals with higher openness are
more likely to initiate and maintain physical activity [43],
which might be because they are more accepting of new
ideas and experiences and are more willing to try new
things, making them more likely to initiate physical activity
as a way of experiencing new things [44]. This conclusion
concurs with the pertinent outlooks espoused by both self-
determination theory [34–36] and the overarching
motivational model [34], implying that individuals
possessing a higher degree of openness exhibit greater self-
regulation and a more potent drive toward promoting
health, thereby obviating the need for excessive external
intervention to sustain their physical fitness regimen. These
individuals also exhibit a greater proclivity to initiate and
engage in physical activity of their own accord. Moreover,
our study reveals that physical activity time also has a
positive predictive effect on openness, which is consistent
with a longitudinal study of adults and elderly individuals
[48], which may be because physical activity can mitigate
cognitive decline [81], increase cognitive flexibility [82] and
thus mitigate the decline in openness in adulthood. It is
worth noting that openness is more likely to change in
adolescents than in adults [68], and our conclusions clearly
show that increasing time spent in physical activity at this
stage of life may help to increase openness, which in turn
may play a protective role in preventing depression
symptoms.
Second, we found that depression symptoms can
negatively predict openness, with depression symptoms
significantly negatively predicting openness in the following
year but openness not predicting depression symptoms in
the following year. Previous research has typically assumed
that openness is relatively stable and unaffected by
symptoms of depression [64], but increasingly more recent
studies have suggested that personality is not fixed and that
changes in life stressors and significant social roles and
relationships can have reshaping effects on personality [63].
The cross-lagged model results further highlight that
depression symptoms are a significant predictive signal that
can have detrimental effects on personality development,
such as future openness, among adolescents [63].
Therefore, it is crucial to pay special attention to
adolescents’mental health development and to avoid the
long-term negative consequences of depression. Previously,
some studies have suggested that lower openness may
predict the onset of depression symptoms [29–31], but our
findings are inconsistent with these conclusions, as
openness does not have statistically significant negative
predictive effects on depression symptoms among Chinese
adolescents.
Third, we did not find a bidirectional relationship
between time spent in physical activity and depression
symptoms. This finding is consistent with the two previous
randomized control trials, which suggested that physical
activity does not have a statistically significant effect on
depression symptoms [54,55]. This may be because regular
1014 IJMHP, 2023, vol.25, no.9
engagement in physical activity alone does not prevent
depression symptoms, and only an appropriate increase in
physical activity can alleviate depressive symptoms [83,84].
However, our conclusion does not agree with some previous
studies [49–51,53,83]. These previous studies have mainly
focused on the relationship between nonmindful physical
activity (e.g., brisk walking, running) and depression, and
there have been few systematic studies of the relationship
between mindful physical activity (e.g., qigong, tai chi, yoga)
and depression. However, compared with popular
nonmindful physical activities prevalent in the West,
Chinese adolescents are more likely to be exposed to
mindful physical activities [85,86], and the effects of such
activities on depression symptoms need to be further
investigated.
In summary, the conclusions of this study have practical
and theoretical implications. On a practical level, education
administration and schools should establish conditions for
physical activity, encourage appropriate extension of
adolescents’physical activity time, strengthen monitoring of
their emotional status, and promote their overall healthy
development. For instance, education administration should
implement policies that ensure adolescents receive sufficient
daily physical education in schools and promote openness
during key stages of personality development. Schools
should regularly organize mental health courses for
adolescents, take prompt action with those exhibiting
symptoms of depression, and strengthen cooperation with
parents to focus on fostering openness, thereby promoting
the physical and mental health of adolescents. On a
theoretical level, this study provides new evidence that sheds
light on the direction and nature of the relationship between
adolescent’s physical activity time, openness, and depression
symptoms. The explanation for the bidirectional
relationship between these variables has not yet reached a
sufficient level of theoretical depth. Future research should
propose a more specific theoretical framework to facilitate a
more in-depth understanding of the dynamic relationship
between these variables.
Limitations
First, due to database limitations, our current analysis of the
bidirectional relationship between physical activity time,
openness and depression symptoms is based on two waves
of data. Future access to additional longitudinal data could
further explore the dynamic changes in these variables over
more waves. Additionally, the data used in this study is
from the CEPS which was conducted seven to eight years
ago, with only the first and second waves currently available.
However, given the ongoing nature of the project, we will
endeavor to update the study with the latest data as soon as
it is officially released.
Second, the relationship between physical activity time
and depression symptoms may be influenced by the
intensity of physical activity. This study did not differentiate
between the intensity of physical activity due to limitations
in the database and questionnaire items, which may have
underestimated the effect of physical activity time on
depression symptoms.
Third, future researchers could consider using additional
data to further refine their analysis of the heterogeneous
effects that different aspects of openness may have on
depression symptoms levels [61].
Fourth, the measures used in our study were based on
students’self-report questionnaire scores, which may
introduce some measurement error. In the future, interviews
with students’parents, teachers, and peers will be conducted
to validate our findings.
Conclusions
First, the levels of physical activity and psychological
wellbeing of Chinese adolescents show an unfavorable trend.
During grades 7 and 8, the average amount of physical
activity among Chinese adolescents decreased, falling below
the daily minimum of one hour. Meanwhile, their openness
decreased, and there was a marked upward trend in the
prevalence of depression symptoms.
Second, there is a significant negative correlation
between physical activity time and depression symptoms
and a significant positive correlation between physical
activity time and openness and between depression
symptoms and openness among Chinese adolescents.
Third, there is a bidirectional relationship between
physical activity time and openness among Chinese
adolescents, with physical activity in grade 7 significantly
predicting openness in grade 8 and openness in grade 7
significantly predicting physical activity in grade 8. No
bidirectional relationship was found between physical
activity and depression symptoms, and there was a negative
unidirectional predictive relationship between depression
symptoms and openness.
Funding Statement: The authors received no specific funding
for this study.
Author Contributions: Conceptualization, X.C. and X.L.;
methodology, X.C.; writing—original draft preparation, X.C.,
Q.Z. and X.L.; writing—review and editing, X.C., Q.Z. and
X.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published
version of the manuscript.
Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare that they have no
conflicts of interest to report regarding the present study.
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