Analysis of the Structural Relationship of Sports Participation and Ego-Resilience in the Health-Promoting Behavior of Korean Adolescents during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: We aimed to verify the structural relationship between sports participation, ego-resilience, and health- promoting behavior of Korean adolescents in a pandemic situation. Methods: In Nov 2020, an online survey was conducted with 751 adolescents in Korea. The data obtained through the survey were analyzed in several ways, including frequency, reliability, confirmatory factor, descriptive statistical, and path analyses. Results: Sports participation had a positive effect on ego-resilience and health-promoting behavior, while ego- resilience has a positive effect on health-promoting behavior. Overall, sports participation directly affects health- promoting behavior and that an indirect effect occurs through ego-resilience. Conclusion: Educational institutions such as schools and the Korea Offices of Education should devise various measures so that adolescents growing up in a global pandemic situation can strengthen their health-promoting behav- ior by securing ego-resilience through participation in various sports.