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Self-esteem mediates the association of leisure activities with adolescents’ mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior: Evidence from a UK-representative cohort

Mengya Zhao et al.

Journal of Leisure Research2025https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2025.2536496article
ABDC A
Weight
0.41

Abstract

Research has shown that adolescents’ engagement in leisure activities is associated with self-esteem, mental health difficulties, and prosocial behavior, but limited research has explored their longitudinal association and potential mediation pathways. This study examined if self-esteem mediates the association between leisure activities and adolescents’ mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior. A secondary analysis of the Millennium Cohort Study data was conducted, examining leisure activities (at ages 14 and 17), self-esteem (at ages 14 and 17), and mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior (at age 17). Mediation analysis supported a significant pathway from leisure activities at age 14 to mental health difficulties at age 17 via self-esteem at age 14. Similarly, the pathway from leisure activities at age 14 to prosocial behavior at age 17 via self-esteem at age 14 was significant. Interventions aimed at increasing engagement in leisure activities may have beneficial effects on adolescents’ self-esteem, mental health, and positive social outcomes.

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https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2025.2536496

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@article{mengya2025,
  title        = {{Self-esteem mediates the association of leisure activities with adolescents’ mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior: Evidence from a UK-representative cohort}},
  author       = {Mengya Zhao et al.},
  journal      = {Journal of Leisure Research},
  year         = {2025},
  doi          = {https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00222216.2025.2536496},
}

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Self-esteem mediates the association of leisure activities with adolescents’ mental health difficulties and prosocial behavior: Evidence from a UK-representative cohort

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Evidence weight

0.41

Balanced mode · F 0.40 / M 0.15 / V 0.05 / R 0.40

F · citation impact0.25 × 0.4 = 0.10
M · momentum0.55 × 0.15 = 0.08
V · venue signal0.50 × 0.05 = 0.03
R · text relevance †0.50 × 0.4 = 0.20

† Text relevance is estimated at 0.50 on the detail page — for your query’s actual relevance score, open this paper from a search result.