Abstract
While the benefits of physical activity for physical and mental health are well-established, it is less clear whether it also boosts resilience, defined as preserved mental health after exposure to stressors. Resilience in adolescents and young adults is critical given the high prevalence and lasting impact of mental health problems that emerge during development. Despite increasing recognition of the importance of physical activity for resilience, a structured overview is missing. Therefore, a systematic review of the literature was conducted including records published until December 2025 in PsycInfo, PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. We included 90 intervention and longitudinal studies on physical activity, and resilience in adolescents and young adults (10- 25 years) without a diagnosed mental health problem. In general, controlled intervention studies (n=39) showed various physiological and psychological benefits of physical activity in youth exposed to adversity and stressors. Intervention studies without a control group (n=26) and longitudinal observational studies (n=25) yielded comparable results. These findings imply that physical activity may causally impact resilience in youth exposed to adversity and stressors. It should be noted, however, that more preregistered, well-powered studies are required to corroborate these conclusions before formulating clinical or policy recommendations.