The increasing prevalence of sedentary behavior among adolescents raises concerns about its impact on academic engagement. This study examines the association between negative and positive sedentary behavior and behavioral, emotional, and cognitive school engagement in adolescents. A total of 270 students aged 10 to 18 from southern Spain participated. Sedentary behavior was assessed via self-report, and school engagement was measured using the School Engagement Measure (SEM). ANCOVA and binary logistic regression were applied, adjusting for age, BMI, and maternal education level. The findings indicate that low negative sedentary behavior is associated with higher cognitive engagement (p = 0.009), while high positive sedentary behavior correlates with greater behavioral (p = 0.018) and cognitive engagement (p = 0.008). Moreover, high negative sedentary behavior more than doubles the risk of low cognitive engagement, and low positive sedentary behavior significantly increases the likelihood of low behavioral and cognitive engagement. These results suggest that while some sedentary behaviors may hinder academic engagement, structured activities like reading and studying can positively contribute to school performance. Encouraging active learning strategies, structured study habits, and responsible screen use may help to maximize school engagement. Future research should explore longitudinal effects and intervention strategies to optimize adolescent learning and well-being.

Background: Previous research has examined to what extent the relationship between bullying/cyberbullying (victims and perpetrators) and psychological well-being is mediated by different cognitive–emotional variables. Objectives: The present study aimed to analyze whether mental toughness acted as a mediating variable in the relationship between bullying, suffered and perpetrated, and subjective vitality. Methods: Three hundred and twelve students in their final year of Primary Education and Compulsory Secondary Education, aged between 11 and 17 years, gave their responses to different self-report measures. Results: The results showed that perceived mental toughness significantly mediated the relationship between victimization and perpetration of aggressive acts through the use of electronic devices and levels of subjective vitality. A similar mediating effect was observed for occasions when the adolescent engaged in bullying acts during face-to-face interactions. Conclusions: It is concluded that high levels of mental toughness may act as a protective mechanism, reducing or mitigating the loss of subjective vitality resulting from being victimized in a virtual environment, as well as from perpetrating aggressive acts during face-to-face interactions and through the use of technological media.

Background: Previous research has examined the relationship between physical activity (PA) and sleep quality in young people. However, studies exploring how different intensities of PA relate to light and deep sleep, using objective measurement tools, remain scarce. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to analyze the potential associations between PA intensity and sleep stages and to determine the most effective intensity of PA for positively influencing sleep during adolescence. Methods: The sample consisted of 1072 Spanish pre-adolescents and adolescents (53% girls and 47% boys) aged 13.03 ± 1.79 years. Sleep and intensity of PA were measured using the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 smartband. Sleep was categorized as light or deep, while PA intensity was determined by heart rate (HR) and classified as light (resting to 50% of maximum HR), moderate (50–70% of max HR), and vigorous (70–85% of max HR). Results: Analyses revealed that greater daily time spent in light-intensity PA was associated with less light sleep and more deep sleep. Additionally, vigorous-intensity PA was positively associated with increased deep sleep. No negative associations were observed between moderate-intensity PA and sleep quality. In conclusion, this study suggests that promoting prolonged light-intensity activities (e.g., walking) or short bursts of vigorous activity (e.g., sports participation) may enhance sleep quality during pre-adolescence and adolescence.

This systematic review analysed the role, opportunities and challenges of digital technologies in promoting physical activity among rural children and adolescents aged 10–18. By identifying and analyzing 10 eligible studies across four major databases between June 2016 and June 2026, the research classified the tools used into five categories: behaviour-monitoring technologies (like wearable activity trackers), educational technologies (digital learning platforms), communication and social media technologies, immersive technologies (virtual and augmented reality), and digital health technologies. The implications of these tools were examined in relation to physical education curricula and the development of healthy lifestyles. While the available evidence suggests that these technologies support rural youth by enhancing self-monitoring, increasing health awareness, improving access to educational resources, and creating context-specific opportunities for active engagement, the data reveals that evidence of sustained improvements in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity remains limited. Furthermore, implementation is heavily hindered by barriers such as the digital divide, limited technological infrastructure, inequalities in resource access, and the threat of sedentary behaviours associated with excessive screen time. Consequently, the findings underscore a need for coordinated educational and health strategies, offering practical recommendations to integrate these digital technologies within rural educational settings to foster long-term active lifestyles.

Introduction: The present study analyzed the association between bullying and cyberbullying victimization and aggression, and the light and deep sleep-in adolescents. Recent literature, exposes that bullying can negatively affect sleep quality, interfering with physiological processes essential for recovery and emotional well-being. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 985 Andalusian adolescents (10-16 years old), who wore Xiaomi Mi Band 4 bracelets for seven days to record the duration of sleep phases. Validated questionnaires were applied to measure bullying and cyberbullying, and data were collected on age, sex, BMI and moderate-vigorous physical activity level. Multiple linear regressions were used to analyze covariate-adjusted associations. Results: Bullying victimization was significantly associated with worse sleep, both light (β = -7.267; p = .049) and deep (β = -1.479; p = .048). Likewise, greater cyberbullying victimization showed worse deep sleep (β = -5.278; p = .018). No significant associations were found between aggression behaviors in both bullying and cyberbullying and sleep phases. Conclusions: The results indicate that young people who suffer bullying/cyberbullying show significant sleep disturbances. These findings underscore the need for preventive interventions focused on mitigating the consequences of bullying at a young age.

Background/Objectives: Positive psychological constructs such as psychological well-being, resilience, subjective vitality, and mental toughness are fundamental to students’ emotional adjustment and overall development. Physical activity (PA) is a modifiable factor known to enhance these variables; however, the influence of its timing throughout the day remains underexplored. This systematic review aimed to examine the effects of PA on psychological well-being, resilience, subjective vitality, and mental toughness in children and adolescents, considering the timing of implementation—before, during, or after school hours—and the specific characteristics of the activities performed. Methods: Following the PRISMA guidelines, a comprehensive search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, ERIC, and Web of Science, identifying 29 studies published between 2014 and 2026, comprising 12 cross-sectional and 17 longitudinal studies. Results: Overall, PA was positively associated with all four psychological variables across different times of the day. PA before school, such as active commuting and active starts, was primarily associated with higher in well-being and vitality. During-school interventions, particularly structured programs such as active breaks and cooperative games, were associated with better resilience, emotional self-regulation, and prosocial behavior. After-school PA, especially organized and voluntary activities, was associated with higher resilience and mental toughness. The effects varied according to the intensity, structure, social context, and student role, with moderate-to-vigorous intensities and cooperative formats producing the most consistent benefits. Conclusions: In conclusion, PA appears to exert a beneficial influence on positive psychological development, with variations depending on the time and mode of practice. Schools, particularly through Physical Education programs, constitute a key context for promoting students’ emotional, motivational, and behavioral health.