Adolescent positive health behaviors and mental health form a complex association network in which anxiety is a core driver of psychological symptoms and physical activity is a key cross-system bridge negatively correlated with depression.
Key Findings
Results
The constructed network of 15 nodes (10 mental health symptoms and 5 positive health behaviors) demonstrated robust stability.
Cross-sectional survey conducted on 436 middle school students.
Positive health behavior scale and SCL-90 were used as measurement instruments.
Network stability was tested by correlation stability analysis with a CS coefficient of 0.75.
The network comprised 10 mental health symptom nodes and 5 positive health behavior nodes.
Results
Anxiety was identified as the core node among mental health symptoms in the network.
Anxiety was determined as the core node based on centrality index analysis.
Anxiety was positively correlated with somatization (r = 0.26).
Anxiety was positively correlated with hostility (r = 0.22).
Anxiety was characterized as 'a core driver of psychological symptoms.'
Results
Circadian self-regulation was positively correlated with psychopathology within the network.
The correlation between circadian self-regulation and psychopathology was r = 0.52.
This was one of the notable cross-system associations identified in the network.
Circadian self-regulation was one of the five positive health behavior nodes included in the network.
Results
Physical activity served as a cross-system bridge between positive health behaviors and mental health symptoms, negatively correlated with depression.
Physical activity was identified using the bridge effect expectation (BEI) metric as the key cross-system bridge node.
Physical activity was negatively correlated with depression (r = -0.08).
Physical activity was described as 'a key cross-system bridge for improving mental health.'
The findings were stated to provide a theoretical basis for developing targeted intervention strategies focusing on physical activity.
Results
No significant gender differences in network characteristics were observed among the adolescent participants.
Gender comparison of network characteristics was conducted as part of the analysis.
Network characteristics did not differ significantly between male and female adolescents.
The sample consisted of middle school students (adolescents) in China.
Zhang X, Cao T, Zhang W, Xie L, Nie Y, Dai Y. (2026). A network analysis of the relationship between active health behaviors and mental health in adolescents.. BMC psychology. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-026-04080-w