Exploring the associations of perceived physical literacy with depression, anxiety, and stress among Spanish adolescents

Background and purpose: The concept of physical literacy has gained prominence in the context of adolescent health, with increasing evidence suggesting its potential as a pivotal factor in promoting adolescent well-being and physical activity. The objective of the current study was to examine the relationships between perceived physical literacy (PPL) and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in Spanish adolescents. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study including 714 adolescents was conducted. The Spanish Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument for Adolescents (S-PPLI) and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) were used. To determine the relationship between the PPL and DASS-21 score, robust linear regression models were constructed. Results: After adjusting for several covariates, an inverse relationship was found between the S-PPLI score and the domains of the DASS-21 (symptoms of depression: unstandardized beta coefficient [B] = −0.14; 95 % confidence interval [CI] −0.20 to −0.08; p < 0.001; anxiety: B = −0.09; 95 % CI −0.15 to −0.04; p = 0.002; and stress: B = −0.09; 95 % CI −0.16 to −0.03; p = 0.006). Furthermore, adolescents with high PPL status presented significantly lower symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress than adolescents with low PPL status did. Conclusion: PPL could be considered a key factor in preventing the development of symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress in the adolescent population. Physical literacy might play a decisive role in the potential of physical activity in promoting mental health in adolescents.