The role of physical activity, social support, and emotional intelligence on self-esteem and depression in Shanghai junior high school students

This study aimed to explore the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI), social support, physical activity (PA), self-esteem, and depression in Shanghai junior high school students. An offline survey was conducted across Shanghai from June to December 2023 using a purposive sampling design. A total of 416 effective questionnaires (216 males, 200 females) were included in the final analysis. Results showed that PA was not directly related to depression but was positively associated with social support and self-esteem. Both social support and EI were negatively related to depression and positively related to self-esteem. While PA alone did not reduce depression, it contributed indirectly by enhancing protective factors such as social support and self-esteem. These findings suggest that interventions targeting EI and social support may help mitigate depression among adolescents.