Exploring how cognitive-behavioral physical activity links ruminative thinking and mental wellbeing in sports high school adolescents


Derelioğlu M., Vural M., ÇİMEN E., Saki Ü., Yağız Saraçoğlu Y., Karataş B., ...Daha Fazla

Frontiers in Psychology, cilt.16, 2025 (SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 16
  • Basım Tarihi: 2025
  • Doi Numarası: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1665882
  • Dergi Adı: Frontiers in Psychology
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, IBZ Online, Linguistic Bibliography, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Psycinfo, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: adolescent mental health, cognitive-behavioral therapy, physical activity interventions, ruminative thought patterns, subjective wellbeing
  • Bilecik Şeyh Edebali Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Introduction: This study examined the associations among ruminative thinking style (RTS), subjective wellbeing (SWB), and cognitive-behavioral physical activity (CBPA) in a sample of 1,326 adolescents (aged 14–18) from sports high schools. Method: Using validated self-report measures, data were analyzed through bootstrapped mediation models. Results: RTS was negatively associated with SWB (β = −0.1792, p < 0.001), while CBPA showed a partial mediating effect in this relationship (indirect β = 0.0779, p < 0.001). Discussion: These results suggest that cognitive-behavioral orientations toward physical activity may buffer the negative impact of rumination on wellbeing. Consistent with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) principles, CBPA could provide adolescents with self-regulatory strategies that support mental health. However, the cross-sectional and self-report design, as well as the focus on sports high school students, limit causal inference and generalizability. Future longitudinal and cross-cultural studies are needed to confirm these findings. Overall, the study provides preliminary evidence that CBPA-informed approaches may hold promise for promoting adolescents' mental wellbeing.