{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,24]],"date-time":"2026-07-24T20:22:30Z","timestamp":1784924550834,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]],"date-time":"2025-05-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1747180800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pediatr."],"abstract":"<jats:p>With the rise of rural-to-urban labor migration, the number of left-behind children in single-parent families has increased, raising concerns about their mental health. This study examines the impact of left-behind experiences on depression in single-parent left-behind adolescents, particularly focusing on the mediating role of family satisfaction and the moderating effects of exercise frequency and separation age. Using cross-sectional data from the China Psychological Health Guardian Project (CPHG), which includes 23,523 single-parent left-behind adolescents aged 12\u201318, we collected data on left-behind experiences, depressive symptoms, family satisfaction, exercise frequency, and separation age through questionnaires. Correlation analysis, multiple regression, and moderated mediation models were employed to test the hypotheses. The findings indicate that left-behind experiences significantly predict depressive symptoms (<jats:italic>t<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20097.77, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.001), and family satisfaction serves as a significant mediator in this relationship (Indirect effect\u2009=\u20090.261, <jats:italic>t<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20094.971, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.001). Additionally, exercise frequency moderates the effect of family satisfaction on depression (<jats:italic>B<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20090.42, <jats:italic>t<\/jats:italic>\u2009=\u20093.681, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic>\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.001), where higher exercise frequency lessens the negative impact of low family satisfaction on depression. These results highlight the crucial roles of family satisfaction and exercise frequency in reducing depressive symptoms among single-parent left-behind adolescents, suggesting that emotional support and regular exercise can enhance their mental health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2025.1573630","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]],"date-time":"2025-05-14T05:40:20Z","timestamp":1747201220000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["The influence of left-behind experiences on depression in single-parent adolescents: the mediating role of family satisfaction and the moderating effects of exercise frequency"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Wang-Cheng","family":"Cen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jing","family":"Liang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiao-Han","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wen-Jing","family":"Yan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jun","family":"Qian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"496","DOI":"10.11847\/zgggws1142720","article-title":"Influencing factors of suicide risk among university students from single-parent families in China: an online cross-sectional study","volume":"40","author":"Hou","year":"2024","journal-title":"Chin J Public Health"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"512","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-023-05021-2","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 and psychological risk factors on non-suicidal self-injury behavior among high school students: a one-year follow-up study","volume":"23","author":"Wang","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1177\/0020764017739332","article-title":"The impact of students with left-behind experiences on childhood: the relationship between negative life events and depression among college students in China","volume":"64","author":"Han","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int J Soc Psychiatry"},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"711241","DOI":"10.3389\/fped.2022.711241","article-title":"The relationship between father absence and hostility among Chinese depressed youths: a serial mediation model and the role of self-esteem and frustration tolerance","volume":"10","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Pediatr"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"957324","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2022.957324","article-title":"Long-term effects of left-behind experience on adult depression: social trust as mediating factor","volume":"10","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Public Health"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.2224\/sbp.2015.43.2.241","article-title":"Effects of separation age and separation duration among left-behind children in China","volume":"43","author":"Ling","year":"2015","journal-title":"Soc Behav Pers Int J"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2049","DOI":"10.2105\/AJPH.2008.150474","article-title":"Left too early: the effects of age at separation from parents on Chinese rural children\u2019s symptoms of anxiety and depression","volume":"99","author":"Liu","year":"2009","journal-title":"Am J Public Health"},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2239","DOI":"10.1186\/s12889-024-19734-w","article-title":"Age at separation, residential mobility, and depressive symptoms among twins in late adolescence and young adulthood: a FinnTwin12 cohort study","volume":"24","author":"Wang","year":"2024","journal-title":"BMC Public Health"},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"580","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jaac.2016.04.016","article-title":"The effect of exercise on depressive symptoms in adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"55","author":"Carter","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry"},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"574","DOI":"10.1080\/08039488.2021.1909128","article-title":"Joy of living through exercise\u2014a qualitative study of clinically referred adolescents\u2019 experiences of moderate to vigorous exercise as treatment for depression","volume":"75","author":"Serrander","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nord J Psychiatry"},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"661108","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2021.661108","article-title":"A bird\u2019s-eye view of exercise intervention in treating depression among teenagers in the last 20 years: a bibliometric study and visualization analysis","volume":"12","author":"You","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry"},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1820","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2019.01820","article-title":"Impact of physical exercise on symptoms of depression and anxiety in pre-adolescents: a pilot randomized trial","volume":"10","author":"Philippot","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"B13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2778","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18052778","article-title":"The impact of childhood left-behind experience on the mental health of late adolescents: evidence from Chinese college freshmen","volume":"18","author":"Wu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"377","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2021.08.073","article-title":"Emotional neglect and depressive symptoms of left-behind adolescents: the role of friendship quality and gender","volume":"295","author":"Zhao","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Affect Disord"},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.1186\/s12888-023-04719-7","article-title":"The role of self-esteem and emotion regulation in the associations between childhood trauma and mental health in adulthood: a moderated mediation model","volume":"23","author":"Li","year":"2023","journal-title":"BMC Psychiatry"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"106498","DOI":"10.1016\/j.childyouth.2022.106498","article-title":"A structural equatin model of the relationships between social-emotional competence, social support, depression, and aggression in early adolescents in South Korea","volume":"138","author":"Kang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Child Youth Serv Rev"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1100677","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2022.1100677","article-title":"Mediating roles of perceived social support and sense of security in the relationship between negative life events and life satisfaction among left-behind children: a cross-sectional study","volume":"13","author":"Liu","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"645552","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2021.645552","article-title":"Childhood separation from parents and self-harm in adolescence: a cross-sectional study in mainland China","volume":"12","author":"Zhou","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Psychol"},{"key":"B19","article-title":"How to model mediating and moderating effects. Workshop Series. Center for Family and Demographic Research (CFDR)","author":"Wu","year":"2011"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"445","DOI":"10.1108\/QRJ-10-2022-0135","article-title":"Adolescents\u2019 mental health, coping strategies, social support and interventions: a qualitative study in Switzerland","volume":"23","author":"Chok","year":"2023","journal-title":"Qual Res J"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"21686","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-024-73103-6","article-title":"The effect of received social support on preferred coping strategies and perceived quality of life in adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic","volume":"14","author":"Jurek","year":"2024","journal-title":"Sci Rep"},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1533","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm13061533","article-title":"Exploring the links between physical activity, emotional regulation, and mental well-being in Jordanian university students","volume":"13","author":"Al-Wardat","year":"2024","journal-title":"J Clin Med"},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"785","DOI":"10.1093\/pubmed\/fdad060","article-title":"The role of childhood left-behind experience on childhood trauma exposure and mental health outcomes: a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis","volume":"45","author":"Duan","year":"2023","journal-title":"J Public Health"},{"key":"B24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1458275","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyt.2024.1458275","article-title":"Parental emotional support, self-efficacy, and mental health problems among adolescents in Hong Kong: a moderated mediation approach","volume":"15","author":"Qian","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Psychiatry"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Pediatrics"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1573630\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]],"date-time":"2025-05-14T05:40:22Z","timestamp":1747201222000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1573630\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]},"references-count":24,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fped.2025.1573630"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fped.2025.1573630","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-2360"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-2360","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,5,14]]},"article-number":"1573630"}}