Psychosocial protective factors in promoting healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Children and adolescents from socially vulnerable families experience social as well as health-related disadvantages at a very early age. Resilience research increasingly focuses on general psychosocial protective factors and their positive role as an effective health resource. In this research, the influence of some selected protective factors on a healthy lifestyle in the target group of secondary school students is shown. Methods Using a method of a cluster analysis, a theory-led lifestyle typology was developed based on the variables ‘physical-sport activity' and ‘media consumption patterns'. Four lifestyle clusters were identified: sports-active frequent media users, sports-active low media users, sports-inactive frequent media users und sports-inactive low media users. The study examined how the resilience factor ‘physical fitness' (measured by the 6 min run) as well as personal, family and social protective factors were manifested in the respective clusters. Results In the sporty-active clusters, the proportion of children with good physical fitness was high (47%). In the sporty-inactive clusters, however, this proportion was only about 23%. Approximately 71.5% of the children in sporty-active clusters reported good health and health-promoting behavior, while in sporty-inactive clusters this percentage was 49.2%. Trusting and appreciative parent-child relationship and positive sibling ties were mentioned more frequently in sporty-active clusters than in sporty-inactive clusters. Discussion Regular exercise and moderate use of media have a positive effect on protective resilience factors. These can be considered as ‘health-enhancing' lifestyle characteristics in health-related behavior. Personal, family and social protective factors interact with physical activity and are effective health resources: physically active children are more resilient to stressful environmental situations. Key messages Regular exercise and moderate use of media have a positive effect on protective resilience factors. Protective resilience factors are ‘health-enhancing' lifestyle characteristics in health-related behavior.