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. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):21270.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-05247-y.

Physical activity levels and externalizing problem behaviors in Chinese adolescents using latent profile analysis

Jianhua Zhang #  1 , Jingtao Wu #  2 , Shanguang Zhao  3 , Ru He  4 , Ruilin Xu  5 , Xiaowei Feng  6
Affiliations

Physical activity levels and externalizing problem behaviors in Chinese adolescents using latent profile analysis

Jianhua Zhang et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

The study aims to explore the relationship between physical activity (PA) levels and externalizing problem behaviors among Chinese adolescents, to inform personalized intervention strategies based on scientific evidence. This cross-sectional study was conducted from November 10 to December 15, 2024, among middle and high school students in Sichuan, Guangdong, Shandong, Henan, and Jiangxi provinces in China. A total of 1,718 valid questionnaires were collected (mean age = 14.32 years, SD = 1.45). The sample included 761 middle school students and 957 high school students, PA levels were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ), and externalizing problem behaviors were measured using the Youth Self-Report (YSR) scale. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to classify PA levels and externalizing problem behaviors, and multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association between demographic variables and externalizing problem behaviors. The study indicated that: (1) Adolescents in suburban areas exhibited the highest scores in externalizing problem behaviors and PA levels (p < 0.05), and externalizing problem behaviors significantly increased with age (p < 0.001); (2) Externalizing problem behaviors were categorized into three latent classes: low-problem group (75.1%), moderate-problem group (13.1%), and high-problem group (11.8%); (3) The high-problem group scored the highest across all indicators, especially in aggressive behaviors, whereas the low-problem group had the lowest levels of externalizing behaviors; (4) Multivariate logistic regression revealed that higher PA levels significantly reduced the likelihood of moderate-problem (OR = 0.71, p < 0.001) and high-problem behaviors (OR = 0.44, p < 0.001). Higher levels of physical activity are associated with reduced externalizing problem behaviors in adolescents. Based on these findings, it is recommended to incorporate regular physical activity into behavioral intervention programs and develop personalized support strategies tailored to adolescents' specific characteristics.

Keywords: Behavior intervention; Externalizing problem behavior; Latent profile analysis; Physical exercise; Teenagers.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The study was approved by the Academic Ethics Committee of Leshan Normal University (Approval No.: LSNU:1029-24-12RO). All participants provided written informed consent prior to their participation in the study.This study is not a clinical trial and does not involve clinical trial registration.

Figures

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Fig. 1
Externalizing problem behavior potential categories score on each topic.
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