Objective We explored the development trajectories of interpersonal security among early adolescents and their impact on physical activities in school and examined the mediating effect of control beliefs. Methods A whole-year, three-stage follow-up investigation of 2,180 junior high school students (45.32% boys; age, 11.88 ± 1.11 years) from a single province in China was conducted. Results For early adolescents, the ideal growth mixture model of the three classifications of interpersonal security was the optimal model (AIC = 14472.50, BIC = 14453.40, aBIC = 14412.11, Entropy = 0.78; LMR: p = 0.00, BLRT: p = 0.00). When comparing the effects of different development trajectories of interpersonal security on early adolescents’ physical activities in school (T 3 ), the relative total influential effects of the high-elevated and medium-sustained groups were 0.22 and 0.26 greater than those of the low-decreasing group. Furthermore, the relative mediating effects of control beliefs were all significant, revealing that, in the high-elevated and medium-sustained groups, and by the mediating effect of controlling beliefs, interpersonal security affected early adolescents’ physical activities in school (T 3 ), respectively ( p 0.01). Conclusion The better the development trajectory of interpersonal security, the easier it is to enhance early adolescents’ control beliefs and their engagement with physical activities in school. Educators and parents should pay more attention to the cultivation of early adolescents’ social adaptability and interpersonal communication skills.
Li et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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