{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T12:14:21Z","timestamp":1788956061760,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":66,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788912000000},"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. Psychol."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Juvenile delinquency is a global public health concern requiring effective prevention strategies. This narrative review summarizes and synthesizes international evidence on structured exercise and sport-based interventions for juvenile delinquency, examining theoretical frameworks, mechanisms, program characteristics, and effectiveness. We conducted a literature search in PubMed and Web of Science; evidence indicates that intervention effectiveness depends critically on program design and implementation quality\u2014long-term structured programs with trained coaches produce the most robust effects. Exercise facilitates behavioral change through interconnected physiological, psychological, and social mechanisms, with integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy and family support yielding stronger outcomes than exercise alone. Structured exercise shows promise as a developmental intervention for delinquency prevention, but success requires theory-driven design, skilled mentorship, and cultural sensitivity. Future research should prioritize rigorous longitudinal designs and cultural adaptation in underrepresented regions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1888577","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T12:05:10Z","timestamp":1788955510000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["From body shaping to character formation: international research progress and mechanisms of exercise training interventions for juvenile delinquency"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Jing","family":"Xu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Fujian Police College Department of Police Tactics","place":["Fujian, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hongjin","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Physical Education Sichuan Agricultural University","place":["Ya\u2019an, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mengdi","family":"Tian","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Physical Education and Health, Sichuan Technology and Business University","place":["Meishan, China"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.3390\/children11010070","article-title":"Moral disengagement in adolescent offenders: its relationship with antisocial behavior and its presence in offenders of the law and school norms","volume":"11","author":"Agudelo Rico","year":"2024","journal-title":"Children"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"172","DOI":"10.1002\/cbm.2152","article-title":"Criminal career duration: predictability from self-reports and official records","volume":"30","author":"Ahonen","year":"2020","journal-title":"Crim. Behav. Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"370","DOI":"10.1007\/s10567-025-00520-y","article-title":"Reframing the victim-offender overlap: moral injury and adolescent offending","volume":"28","author":"Alexander","year":"2025","journal-title":"Clin. Child. Fam. Psychol. Rev."},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"550952","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2020.550952","article-title":"Influence of organized vs non organized physical activity on school adaptation behavior","volume":"11","author":"Alexandru","year":"2020","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2755","DOI":"10.1007\/s00787-023-02356-9","article-title":"Cognitive and affective perspective taking amongst adolescent offenders with variants of callous-unemotional traits","volume":"33","author":"Anderson","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102940","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jflm.2025.102940","article-title":"From risk to resilience: understanding and mitigating juvenile delinquency","volume":"115","author":"Arslan","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Forensic Leg. Med."},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1035","DOI":"10.1177\/0306624X211058960","article-title":"Differentiating categories of violent adolescent offending and the associated risks in police and youth offending service records","volume":"68","author":"Ashton","year":"2024","journal-title":"Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol."},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"5","DOI":"10.1186\/s40352-024-00258-9","article-title":"Effectiveness, working mechanisms, and implementation of youth-initiated mentoring for juvenile delinquents: a multiple-methods study protocol","volume":"12","author":"Boering","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Justice."},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1042","DOI":"10.1007\/s10597-024-01285-4","article-title":"Juvenile justice-based interdisciplinary collective care: an innovative approach","volume":"60","author":"Brown","year":"2024","journal-title":"Community Ment. Health J."},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1177\/0306624X221148123","article-title":"Children who offend in Turkey: the case of the Ankara child education center","volume":"69","author":"\u00c7a\u011flar","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol."},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15010080","article-title":"Decision-making styles, prosociality, and behavioral difficulties in adolescent offenders: the mediating role of life satisfaction and emotional experiences","volume":"15","author":"Cardona-Isaza","year":"2025","journal-title":"Behav. Sci."},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3711","DOI":"10.1017\/S0033291722000393","article-title":"Adult criminal outcomes of juvenile justice involvement","volume":"53","author":"Copeland","year":"2023","journal-title":"Psychol. Med."},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1665882","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1665882","article-title":"Exploring how cognitive-behavioral physical activity links ruminative thinking and mental wellbeing in sports high school adolescents","volume":"16","author":"Derelio\u011flu","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2046","DOI":"10.1007\/s10964-022-01637-x","article-title":"Drug use homophily in adolescent offenders\u2019 close friendship groups","volume":"51","author":"Drozdova","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Youth Adolesc."},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.64898\/2026.01.20.700567","article-title":"Brain age in conduct disorder: a mega-analysis of the ENIGMA antisocial behavior working group","author":"Dugr\u00e9","year":"2026","journal-title":"bioRxiv"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1089\/jchc.24.01.0004","article-title":"Perceptions of substance use and sexual risk behaviors among adolescent females involved in juvenile justice","volume":"30","author":"Dunlop","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Correct. Health Care"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"01022","DOI":"10.1051\/e3sconf\/202131901022","article-title":"Physical inactivity, sedentary habits and eating habits among Moroccan adolescents","volume":"319","author":"El Oirdi","year":"2021","journal-title":"E3S Web Conf."},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"01044","DOI":"10.1051\/shsconf\/202317501044","article-title":"Correlational relationship between physical activity and sedentary behavior among Moroccan high school students","volume":"175","author":"El Oirdi","year":"2023","journal-title":"SHS Web Conf."},{"key":"ref19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1364967","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2024.1364967","article-title":"A new approach to urinalysis: effectiveness of a contingency management program among adolescent offenders in Spain","volume":"15","author":"Fern\u00e1ndez-Moreno","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e09762","DOI":"10.1016\/j.heliyon.2022.e09762","article-title":"Motivations for adolescent offending and truancy from school: retrospective interviews with adults recently released from a custodial prison sentence in England","volume":"8","author":"Filkin","year":"2022","journal-title":"Heliyon."},{"key":"ref21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e1139","DOI":"10.1002\/cl2.1139","article-title":"Interventions that address institutional child maltreatment: an evidence and gap map","volume":"17","author":"Finch","year":"2021","journal-title":"Campbell Syst. Rev."},{"key":"ref22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15248380251357613","DOI":"10.1177\/15248380251357613","article-title":"Child maltreatment in youth-serving organizations: a scoping review","author":"Finkelhor","year":"2025","journal-title":"Trauma Violence Abuse"},{"key":"ref23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"116","DOI":"10.1002\/ajcp.12474","article-title":"Mapping juvenile justice: identifying existing structural barriers to accessing probation services","volume":"67","author":"Fountain","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am. J. Community Psychol."},{"key":"ref24","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1083","DOI":"10.3758\/s13415-021-00903-y","article-title":"Neuroanatomy of complex social emotion dysregulation in adolescent offenders","volume":"21","author":"Franco-O\u2019Byrne","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cogn. Affect. Behav. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10509","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph181910509","article-title":"Criminal behavior and psychosocial risk factors in Brazilian adolescent offenders: an exploratory latent class analysis","volume":"18","author":"Galinari","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"620","DOI":"10.1016\/S2215-0366(24)00187-1","article-title":"Cortical structure and subcortical volumes in conduct disorder: a coordinated analysis of 15 international cohorts from the ENIGMA-antisocial behavior working group","volume":"11","author":"Gao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Lancet Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"541","DOI":"10.1002\/jts.22535","article-title":"The prevalence and longitudinal patterns of continuous community violence exposure and trauma-related symptoms in adolescent male serious offenders","volume":"33","author":"Gaylord-Harden","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Trauma. Stress."},{"key":"ref28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"164","DOI":"10.1017\/S0954579423001499","article-title":"Effects of neighborhood disadvantage and peer deviance on adolescent antisocial behavior: testing potential interactions with age-of-onset","volume":"37","author":"Goetz","year":"2025","journal-title":"Dev. Psychopathol."},{"key":"ref29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e70111","DOI":"10.1111\/jora.70111","article-title":"Exploring interactions of self-control, morality and peer delinquency among justice-involved juveniles: random-effects models","volume":"35","author":"Guo","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Res. Adolesc."},{"key":"ref30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1002\/cbm.2355","article-title":"Psychopathy checklist-youth version scores and recurring victimisation by an intimate partner in a justice-involved sample: a comparison of young men and women using longitudinal data","volume":"34","author":"Harris","year":"2024","journal-title":"Crim. Behav. Ment. Health"},{"key":"ref31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1777","DOI":"10.1007\/s40615-024-02007-y","article-title":"Addressing the harms of structural racism on health in incarcerated youth through improved nutrition and exercise programs","volume":"12","author":"Henning","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Racial Ethn. Health Disparities"},{"key":"ref32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"102156","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijlp.2025.102156","article-title":"Psychiatric evaluations for adolescent offenders with delinquency in Taiwan","volume":"104","author":"Her","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Law Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"424","DOI":"10.1111\/bjep.12303","article-title":"School bonding and ethos in trajectories of offending: results from the Belfast youth development study","volume":"90","author":"Higgins","year":"2020","journal-title":"Br. J. Educ. Psychol."},{"key":"ref34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1037\/lhb0000636","article-title":"Effect of juvenile justice financial sanctions on youths\u2019 recidivism","volume":"50","author":"Jian","year":"2026","journal-title":"Law Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.29158\/JAAPL.200060-20","article-title":"Preempting the development of antisocial behavior and psychopathic traits","volume":"49","author":"Junewicz","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law"},{"key":"ref36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jadohealth.2020.05.044","article-title":"Statewide trends of trauma history, suicidality, and mental health among youth entering the juvenile justice system","volume":"68","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Adolesc. Health"},{"key":"ref37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"587","DOI":"10.1037\/fam0000640","article-title":"Constellations of family risk for long-term adolescent antisocial behavior","volume":"34","author":"LoBraico","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Fam. Psychol."},{"key":"ref38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e20200155","DOI":"10.47626\/2237-6089-2020-0155","article-title":"Decision-making under risk and theory of mind in adolescent offenders in provisional deprivation of liberty","volume":"44","author":"Loureiro","year":"2023","journal-title":"Trends Psychiatry Psychother."},{"key":"ref39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"465","DOI":"10.1111\/bjc.12347","article-title":"Bouldering psychotherapy is not inferior to cognitive behavioural therapy in the group treatment of depression: a randomized controlled trial","volume":"61","author":"Luttenberger","year":"2022","journal-title":"Br. J. Clin. Psychol."},{"key":"ref40","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1645177","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2025.1645177","article-title":"Advancements in research on psychological and emotional aspects of student-athletes","volume":"16","author":"Mao","year":"2025","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref41","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"daac170","DOI":"10.1093\/heapro\/daac170","article-title":"Inequitable access to sport in juvenile justice across the USA: findings from a national survey","volume":"38","author":"McDonough","year":"2023","journal-title":"Health Promot. Int."},{"key":"ref42","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"475","DOI":"10.1177\/0306624X251344620","article-title":"Letting work what works-effectively preventing juvenile delinquency in the Netherlands: a meta-analysis of the evidence","volume":"70","author":"Meulen","year":"2026","journal-title":"Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol."},{"key":"ref43","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1537","DOI":"10.1007\/s10964-020-01386-9","article-title":"More than risk? Longitudinal changes in friendship support with serious adolescent offenders","volume":"50","author":"Mikytuck","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Youth Adolesc."},{"key":"ref44","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"487","DOI":"10.1080\/15299732.2020.1869655","article-title":"Associations among trauma exposure, posttraumatic dissociation, reckless\/self-destructive behavior, and adolescent offending","volume":"22","author":"Modrowski","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Trauma Dissociation"},{"key":"ref45","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"216","DOI":"10.1097\/HRP.0000000000000290","article-title":"A perspective for understanding trauma and the criminal juvenile justice system: using a trauma-informed lens for meaningful and sustained change","volume":"29","author":"Moreland","year":"2021","journal-title":"Harv. Rev. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref46","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"153","DOI":"10.1016\/j.mcna.2021.08.005","article-title":"Prevention of substance use disorders","volume":"106","author":"Nelson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Med. Clin. North Am."},{"key":"ref47","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"871","DOI":"10.1080\/13218719.2021.1995519","article-title":"Mean and disinhibited: getting specific about the mediating role of self-control and antisocial outcomes in youth","volume":"29","author":"Pechorro","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychiatr Psychol Law."},{"key":"ref48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1192114","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1192114","article-title":"Assessing attentional bias to emotions in adolescent offenders and nonoffenders","volume":"14","author":"Pino","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"35","DOI":"10.1186\/s40352-024-00290-9","article-title":"Contextual determinants of family-driven care implementation in juvenile justice settings","volume":"12","author":"Piper","year":"2024","journal-title":"Health Justice."},{"key":"ref50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1123\/jsr.2023-0077","article-title":"Engagement in sedentary and physically active after-school programs among African American children with ADHD and disruptive behavior disorders","volume":"34","author":"Ramer","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Sport Rehabil."},{"key":"ref51","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"402","DOI":"10.15288\/jsad.2022.83.402","article-title":"Preventing adolescent opioid misuse: racial\/ethnic differences in the protective effects of extracurricular activities","volume":"83","author":"Rigg","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Stud. Alcohol Drugs"},{"key":"ref52","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"24","DOI":"10.1007\/s11121-021-01297-6","article-title":"Evaluation of communities that care-effects on municipal youth crime rates in Victoria, Australia: 2010-2019","volume":"23","author":"Rowland","year":"2022","journal-title":"Prev. Sci."},{"key":"ref53","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e40","DOI":"10.1192\/j.eurpsy.2022.30","article-title":"Mental disorders into adulthood among adolescents placed in residential care: a prospective 10-year follow-up study","volume":"65","author":"Seker","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref54","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"335","DOI":"10.1177\/00099228221075094","article-title":"Association of physical activity, sports, and screen time with adolescent behaviors in youth who visit the pediatric emergency department","volume":"61","author":"Shenoi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin. Pediatr."},{"key":"ref55","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e31185","DOI":"10.2196\/31185","article-title":"A technology-based training tool for a health promotion and sex education program for justice-involved youth: development and usability study","volume":"5","author":"Snow-Hill","year":"2021","journal-title":"JMIR Form. Res."},{"key":"ref56","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"415","DOI":"10.1037\/lhb0000502","article-title":"The role of hopelessness and procedural justice on depressogenic outcomes in serious adolescent offenders","volume":"46","author":"Stutts","year":"2022","journal-title":"Law Hum. Behav."},{"key":"ref57","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/bs15010098","article-title":"Optimal non-pharmacological interventions for reducing problematic internet use in youth: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis","volume":"15","author":"Tian","year":"2025","journal-title":"Behav Sci."},{"key":"ref58","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"980","DOI":"10.1177\/0306624X231188235","article-title":"Parental divorce and adolescent offending: a comparison between children of discordant siblings","volume":"69","author":"van de Weijer","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Offender Ther. Comp. Criminol."},{"key":"ref59","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"108","DOI":"10.1097\/FCH.0000000000000315","article-title":"Research brief: physical activity trends among incarcerated youth during a sport leadership program","volume":"45","author":"Wahl-Alexander","year":"","journal-title":"Fam. Community Health"},{"key":"ref60","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"414","DOI":"10.1089\/jchc.21.04.0029","article-title":"Physical activity and social behaviors of incarcerated youth participating in a sport-leadership program","volume":"28","author":"Wahl-Alexander","year":"","journal-title":"J. Correct. Health Care"},{"key":"ref61","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"338","DOI":"10.1089\/jchc.22.10.0082","article-title":"Evaluating the efficacy of behavior modification strategies on physical activity levels among incarcerated youth","volume":"29","author":"Wahl-Alexander","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Correct. Health Care"},{"key":"ref62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1007\/s10899-020-09962-1","article-title":"Parental gambling as a moderator of the child delinquency-gambling relationship: does having a role model in the home make a difference?","volume":"37","author":"Walters","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Gambl. Stud."},{"key":"ref63","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.29158\/JAAPL.250080-25","article-title":"Rehabilitating youth in juvenile corrections","volume":"53","author":"Wills","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law"},{"key":"ref64","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph22050782","article-title":"Reimagining the juvenile justice system through the healthy outcomes from positive experiences framework","volume":"22","author":"Winn","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health"},{"key":"ref65","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1194294","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1194294","article-title":"The transition of Chilean adolescents from the child welfare system to the adolescent justice system: a continuation or an accumulation of adverse factors?","volume":"14","author":"Zambrano","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-031-31986-0_11","article-title":"Post-traumatic stress disorder as a risk factor for the development of risky behavior among adolescent offenders: a systematic review","volume":"1425","author":"Zaverdinou","year":"2026","journal-title":"Adv. Exp. Med. Biol."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Psychology"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1888577\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]],"date-time":"2026-09-09T12:05:12Z","timestamp":1788955512000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1888577\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"references-count":66,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1888577"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fpsyg.2026.1888577","relation":{},"ISSN":["1664-1078"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1664-1078","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,9]]},"article-number":"1888577"}}