Adolescents’ water safety knowledge reduces high-risk swimming behaviors via moderated mediation and configurational pathways

To investigate the relationship between aquatic safety knowledge, sensation seeking, aquatic safety skills, and high-risk swimming behaviors among adolescents, this study adopts a situated intra-individual perspective informed by the cognitive-affective processing system (CAPS) framework, focusing on how cognitive (water safety knowledge), motivational (sensation seeking), and behavioral competence (water safety skills) factors jointly operate within the individual to influence high-risk swimming behaviors in aquatic settings. We conceptualize the water environment as the fixed contextual background upon which these internal processes within individual organisms depend. By integrating sensation-seeking theory with swimming behavior risk assessment theory, we construct a moderated mediation model that explains the pathways through which safety knowledge translates into behavioral outcomes. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 1800 Chinese junior high school adolescents, yielding 1666 valid samples. Two complementary analytical methods were adopted for empirical testing. First, moderated mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro was used to examine the linear moderated mediation mechanism among the independent, mediating, moderating, and outcome variables. Second, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was conducted to explore the configurational pathways through which multiple antecedent conditions jointly lead to high-risk swimming behaviors, thereby capturing causal complexity beyond linear assumptions. Moderated mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, the results indicate that: (1) After controlling for gender, age, and grade level, water safety knowledge exerts a significant negative influence on high-risk swimming behaviors (β = − 0.06, p < 0.01); (2) Sensation seeking mediated the relationship between aquatic safety knowledge and high-risk swimming behaviors (β = − 0.12, p < 0.01). The total effect size of aquatic safety knowledge on high-risk swimming behaviors was − 0.0829, 95% CI [− 0.1068, − 0.0590]. The mediation effect value of sensation seeking was − 0.0217, 95% CI [− 0.0338, − 0.0114]. The direct effect value of aquatic safety knowledge on high-risk swimming behaviors was − 0.1198, 95% CI [− 0.0850, − 0.0373]; (3) The direct effect of water safety knowledge on high-risk swimming behaviors is strengthened by water safety skills (β = − 0.03, p < 0.01); and (4) Gender, age, grade level, water safety knowledge, sensation seeking, and water safety skills do not individually constitute necessary conditions for high-risk swimming behaviors. Five configurational pathways exist among these factors, collectively influencing the occurrence of high-risk swimming behaviors. The study contributes theoretically by integrating CAPS, sensation-seeking, and risk assessment theories into a unified model that delineates mediating and moderating mechanisms, and practically by offering guidance for integrated knowledge-skills education and gender-sensitive interventions. The research findings can help adolescents build on conventional water safety education to accurately recognize and appropriately regulate their own sensation-seeking tendencies. This approach prevents them from neglecting water safety risks due to an excessive pursuit of excitement. Simultaneously, increasing investment in water safety skills training enhances adolescents' ability to respond to dangers. By pursuing these two approaches simultaneously, we can strengthen adolescents' water safety awareness, fundamentally reduce the occurrence of high-risk swimming behaviors, and effectively safeguard their lives during water activities.