The Moderating Role of Family Resilience and the Mediating Role of Social Participation Skills in the Relationship Between Self-Efficacy for Physical Activity and Well-Being Among Children with Special Needs

Background/Objectives: This study investigates how self-efficacy for physical activity, social participation skills, and family resilience are jointly associated with the well-being of children with special needs. Methods: Using data from 255 children aged 9–13 and their parents, a moderated mediation model was tested to examine whether social participation skills statistically mediate the link between self-efficacy for physical activity and well-being, and whether family resilience moderates these pathways. Validated scales were administered to assess children’s well-being, self-efficacy for physical activity, and social participation skills, alongside parental reports of family resilience. Results: Findings show that self-efficacy for physical activity was significantly and positively associated with children’s well-being, and that social participation skills accounted for a statistically significant indirect association. The positive associations between self-efficacy for physical activity and social participation skills, and between social participation skills and well-being, were stronger at higher levels of family resilience. Conclusions: Overall, the findings highlight the interrelated associations of self-efficacy for physical activity, social participation skills, and family resilience with children’s well-being, emphasizing the importance of considering individual, social, and family factors together. The findings highlight the potential relevance of child- and family-centered approaches that support confidence in engaging in physical activity, promote social participation skills, and strengthen family resilience in efforts to support the well-being of children with special needs.