Factors affecting the participation of young adults with special sporting needs in physical activity: A systematic literature review

The purpose of this review is to systematically examine the factors that promote/hinder physical activity (PA) in people with "special physical activity needs". A systematic review of qualitative research on the PA perspectives of people aged 18-60 years with "special physical activity needs" was conducted. Two databases were searched to identify published studies from 2000 to 2022. A thematic synthesis was used to analyze the data. Finally, a total of 347 factors were extracted from 21 studies included, identifying three themes: "Intrapersonal", "Interpersonal", and "Physical". Integrating the themes into a theoretical model, it was found that the "core layers" (Self-perception, Self-actualization, Autonomy), located in the "Intrapersonal" theme, were the most frequent and most associated factors, and they were the key factors in promoting the participation of special populations in PA.