The effect of exercise interventions on enhancing psychological resilience: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objective Amid increasing social pressures, the importance of psychological resilience as a key resource for stress coping has become prominent. Although exercise is considered a potential means to enhance resilience, a systematic quantitative assessment of moderating factors influencing its effect is lacking. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the effect of exercise interventions on enhancing psychological resilience and explore the moderating roles of intervention duration, age, and study design. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, relevant databases were searched up to January 2026. Randomized controlled trials or quasi-experimental studies were included. Study quality was assessed using standardized tools. Analyses were conducted using a random-effects model, subgroup analyses, and heterogeneity tests. Results Ten studies were included. Exercise intervention had a significant positive effect on psychological resilience (pooled SMD = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.33–0.65). Intervention duration was a statistically significant moderator (p = 0.01) that survived Bonferroni correction for multiple subgroup tests (α < sub > adjusted < /sub > = 0.017), with long-term interventions (> 8 weeks, SMD = 0.64) yielding significantly larger effects than short-term interventions (≤ 8 weeks, SMD = 0.30). The intervention was effective across all age groups. Randomized controlled trials yielded a numerically larger effect size (SMD = 0.56) than non-randomized studies (SMD = 0.35), but the subgroup difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.21). No publication bias was detected. Conclusion Exercise intervention is an effective approach to enhancing psychological resilience. Subgroup analyses confirmed that intervention duration is a statistically significant moderator, with long-term interventions yielding significantly greater benefits. This provides an empirical basis for designing personalized, long-term exercise programs for different populations.