Effects of resistance training interventions on physical literacy components in children and adolescents: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Background: Physical literacy (PL), encompassing physical, affective, and cognitive domains, is crucial for lifelong physical activity. Structured resistance training (RT) interventions can enhance these components in children and adolescents. Objective: The aim of this preregistered systematic review was (a) to provide an overview of RT interventions targeting various components of PL in children and adolescents and (b) to quantitatively examine the effectiveness of such interventions on different PL domains. Methods: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and registered with the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY), a comprehensive search (2014–2025) was conducted across five databases. Inclusion criteria followed the PICOS (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, and study design) framework: healthy children or adolescents (5–17 years), RT-only interventions, evaluation of PL components, randomized controlled trials, and publications in English or Spanish. Two independent reviewers (VM and RGSA) conducted data extraction and quality assessment. Risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane Risk of Bias (RoB) 2.0 tool, and the certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) approach. A random-effects inverse variance model was used to calculate pooled effect sizes (Hedges’ g). Results: Twenty studies met inclusion criteria, with 18 included in the meta-analysis. The physical domain showed significant improvements in speed (Hedges’ g = −0.29; 95% CI [−0.44 to −0.14]; p < 0.001; I² = 0.0%) with high-certainty evidence. Muscular endurance showed a moderate but nonsignificant effect (Hedges’ g = 0.47; 95% CI [−0.01 to 0.95]; p = 0.06; I² = 97.3%), with low-certainty evidence. The affective domain demonstrated increases in self-esteem and motivation. Conclusions: RT positively impacts the physical and affective domains of PL in youth, supporting its integration into physical education and extracurricular programs. Standardized assessment tools and long-term studies are needed to further validate their role in promoting lifelong PL.