Associations between parental support and physical activity in children and adolescents with visual impairments: a mediating analysis of exercise self-efficacy
- 1Department of Physical Education and Aesthetic Education, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
- 2Department of Physical Education, Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
- 3Department of Physical Education, Nanjing Blind School, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China
Abstract
Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is imperative for the physical and mental health of children and adolescents with visual impairments (VI). However, functional impairment often leads to reduced PA, resulting in declines in health and quality of life. Although parental support (PS) has been identified as a key social determinant of PA in typically developing youth, its specific mechanisms, particularly the mediating role of exercise self-efficacy (ESE), remain unclear in children and adolescents with VI. This study aimed to examine the associations between PS and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), as well as the mediating role of ESE, in this population.
Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 306 children and adolescents with VI aged 7–18 (mean age 13.80 ± 2.94 years) from specialized schools in East China were recruited through convenience sampling from September to December 2024. Accelerometers were used to objectively measure PA levels, and MVPA was extracted for analysis. PS for PA and ESE were assessed using validated scales. The associations between PS and MVPA were analyzed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and the bias-corrected (BC) percentile bootstrap method were employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects of PS on MVPA, with ESE tested as a mediator.
Results: PS and ESE were both positively correlated with MVPA ( r = 0.306 and 0.385, respectively; both P < 0.05). In the structural equation model, PS had a significant total effect on MVPA (β = 0.379, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.226–0.523], P = 0.000), comprising a direct effect (β = 0.293, 95% CI [0.140–0.438], P = 0.000) and an indirect effect mediated by ESE (β = 0.085, 95% CI [0.039–0.146], P = 0.000). ESE also exerted a significant direct effect on MVPA (β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.229–0.450], P < 0.001). The model explained 26.3% of the variance in MVPA.
Conclusion: This study highlights that both PS and ESE are associated with MVPA in children and adolescents with VI, with ESE acting partially mediating this relationship.
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BibTeX
@article{dou2026associations,
title = {{Associations between parental support and physical activity in children and adolescents with visual impairments: a mediating analysis of exercise self-efficacy}},
author = {Li Dou and Huawei Chen and Enjie Lu},
journal = {PeerJ},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7717/peerj.21871},
url = {https://peerj.com/articles/21871},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Associations between parental support and physical activity in children and adolescents with visual impairments: a mediating analysis of exercise self-efficacy
AU - Li Dou
AU - Huawei Chen
AU - Enjie Lu
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/28
JO - PeerJ
DO - 10.7717/peerj.21871
UR - https://peerj.com/articles/21871
AB - Purpose: Physical activity (PA) is imperative for the physical and mental health of children and adolescents with visual impairments (VI). However, functional impairment often leads to reduced PA, resulting in declines in health and quality of life. Although parental support (PS) has been identified as a key social determinant of PA in typically developing youth, its specific mechanisms, particularly the mediating role of exercise self-efficacy (ESE), remain unclear in children and adolescents with VI. This study aimed to examine the associations between PS and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), as well as the mediating role of ESE, in this population. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, 306 children and adolescents with VI aged 7–18 (mean age 13.80 ± 2.94 years) from specialized schools in East China were recruited through convenience sampling from September to December 2024. Accelerometers were used to objectively measure PA levels, and MVPA was extracted for analysis. PS for PA and ESE were assessed using validated scales. The associations between PS and MVPA were analyzed. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and the bias-corrected (BC) percentile bootstrap method were employed to analyze the direct and indirect effects of PS on MVPA, with ESE tested as a mediator. Results: PS and ESE were both positively correlated with MVPA ( r = 0.306 and 0.385, respectively; both P < 0.05). In the structural equation model, PS had a significant total effect on MVPA (β = 0.379, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.226–0.523], P = 0.000), comprising a direct effect (β = 0.293, 95% CI [0.140–0.438], P = 0.000) and an indirect effect mediated by ESE (β = 0.085, 95% CI [0.039–0.146], P = 0.000). ESE also exerted a significant direct effect on MVPA (β = 0.35, 95% CI [0.229–0.450], P < 0.001). The model explained 26.3% of the variance in MVPA. Conclusion: This study highlights that both PS and ESE are associated with MVPA in children and adolescents with VI, with ESE acting partially mediating this relationship.
SN - 2167-8359
ER -