Psychological Disorders of Elderly Sports Participation and Their Intervention Strategies from the Perspective of HBM

Abstract

With the deepening of population aging in China, the health issues of the elderly have drawn attention. Sports participation is an important path for promoting health. However, the current sports participation rate among the elderly is relatively low, with psychological disorders being the core problem. Moreover, existing research lacks a unified theoretical framework for sorting out such disorders. This paper employs literature analysis and theoretical model methods, taking the Health Belief Model (HBM), which focuses on correction factors such as health threat perception, behavior assessment and action cues, and self-efficacy, and has theoretical and practical adaptability, as the analytical framework. Based on its six constituent elements, it conducts a corresponding analysis of psychological disorders in sports participation among the elderly. The main manifestations of the findings are low perceived susceptibility, low perceived severity, few perceived benefits, numerous perceived obstacles, lack of action cues and insuffi cient self-efficacy. In response to these issues, a multi-dimensional collaborative intervention strategy that enhances threat perception, amplifies behavioral benefi ts, reduces behavioral barriers, provides action clues, and boosts self-efficacy is proposed to construct a collaborative ecosystem for elderly sports participation. This research responds to the requirements of the “14th Five-Year Plan for National Health” , not only enriching the research system in the field of elderly health and sports participation, but also providing guidance for relevant departments to design precise health promotion projects, helping to improve the physical and mental health and quality of life of the elderly in their later years, in order to address the “silver-haired challenge” and promote the realization of active aging. Moreover, it was reported that China had entered a deeply aging society by the end of 2021. In 2025, the policy mentioned the development of the silver economy, and the health demands of the elderly have increased, highlighting the practical significance of the research.