Socioeconomic status and global physical self-concept of adolescents: a\xa0multilevel structural equation modeling approach

Abstract

The global physical self-concept (GPSC) is a central part of one’s self-definition in adolescence and plays an important role in adolescents’ physical and psychological health. Socioeconomic status (SES) can be assumed to have an impact on GPSC, but this relationship has received little attention thus far. We investigated, therefore, the direct and indirect relationships between SES factors, such as parental educational level, occupational status, and family income, and adolescents’ GPSC. A sample of 966 adolescents from 47 9th-grade classes was examined. Multilevel structural equation modeling was used for the analyses. The results revealed an indirect positive effect of parental educational level on adolescents’ global physical self-concept. The effect was completely mediated by parental occupational status, parental sport participation, adolescents’ social resources, and adolescents’ physical exercise and sport activity. The tested model explained 28% of the variance in adolescents’ global physical self-concept. Implications for the development of suitable interventions to improve the global physical self-concept of adolescents are derived.