From the court to the heart: basketball intervention is associated with adolescents’ subjective well-being—a serial mediation analysis of executive function and psychological capital

Aim This study aims to elucidate the psychological mechanisms through which basketball intervention is associated with adolescents’ subjective well-being (SWB). Methods A 2 × 2 mixed experimental design was employed, and 64 high school students were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 32) and a control group (n = 32). The experimental group received a 12-week moderate-intensity basketball intervention conducted three times per week for 30 min per session, whereas the control group participated only in regular physical education classes. Executive function (EF), psychological capital (PsyCap), and SWB were measured at baseline and 1 week post-intervention in both groups. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro in SPSS. Results The results indicated that basketball intervention was significantly associated with higher adolescents’ SWB (total effect: β = 0.734; direct effect: β = 0.255; indirect effect: β = 0.479). EF (inhibitory control: β = 0.204; updating: β = 0.232; cognitive flexibility: β = 0.172) and PsyCap (β = 0.233) emerged as statistical partial mediators, forming a serial mediation pathway linking executive function and PsyCap. Conclusion Basketball intervention showed positive direct and indirect associations with adolescents’ SWB, which were linked to the combined roles of cognitive and psychological resources.