‘A spark to start’: Experiences of forcibly displaced individuals participating in a co-designed exercise and sport intervention

IF 2.3 3区医学 Q2 PSYCHIATRY

Mental Health and Physical Activity Pub Date : 2025-03-01 DOI:10.1016/j.mhpa.2025.100681

Florian Knappe , Konstantinia Filippou , Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis , Harald Seelig , Marianne Meier , Luce Ann Pieters , Chiara Zollino , Uwe Pühse , Markus Gerber

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Abstract

Background

A growing number of individuals are forced to leave their homes, facing numerous pre- and post-migration challenges that can increase their risk of physical and mental distress. Given the health benefits of exercise and sport, several initiatives aim to address these needs. However, the experiences and perceptions of displaced individuals participating in such activities have received little attention.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative study in 2021 within a reception center in Greece, utilizing ethnographic research methods, including observations, informal discussions, and field notes. These methods complemented the analysis of thirteen focus group discussions and six semi-structured interviews involving fifty-four individuals. An inductive, reflexive thematic analysis was performed to understand the factors driving engagement in exercise and sport activities cooperatively designed with participants, as well as their experiences and the meaning these activities hold for them.

Results

Three main themes were created: (1) a life on hold: systemic barriers to well-being in a reception center, (2) the multi-layered role of exercise and sport in pursuing individual goals, (3) co-designed exercise and sport activities as drivers to leave the container.

Conclusion

Structured, co-designed exercise and sport activities particularly enabled accessibility for women and older individuals. While these activities cannot resolve the burdensome structural conditions, they offer a ground for potential psychosocial benefits within the given socio-political framework, supporting individuals’ coping mechanisms with current living difficulties.

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“开始的火花”：被迫流离失所的个人参与共同设计的锻炼和体育干预的经验

越来越多的人被迫离开家园，在迁移前和迁移后面临许多挑战，这些挑战可能增加他们身心痛苦的风险。鉴于锻炼和体育运动对健康的益处，一些举措旨在满足这些需求。然而，参与这种活动的流离失所者的经历和看法却很少受到注意。方法：我们于2021年在希腊的一个接待中心进行了定性研究，利用人种学研究方法，包括观察、非正式讨论和实地记录。这些方法补充了涉及54个人的13个焦点小组讨论和6个半结构化访谈的分析。通过归纳性、反身性的主题分析，我们了解了促使参与者参与与参与者合作设计的运动和体育活动的因素，以及他们的经历和这些活动对他们的意义。结果设计了三个主题：(1)被搁置的生活：接待中心幸福感的系统性障碍；(2)运动和体育在追求个人目标中的多层次作用；(3)共同设计运动和体育活动作为离开集装箱的驱动力。结论：有组织的、共同设计的锻炼和体育活动特别有利于妇女和老年人的无障碍。虽然这些活动不能解决繁重的结构条件，但它们在特定的社会政治框架内为潜在的社会心理利益提供了基础，支持个人应对当前生活困难的机制。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Mental Health and Physical Activity PSYCHIATRY-

CiteScore

6.70

自引率

6.40%

发文量

审稿时长

32 days

期刊介绍： The aims of Mental Health and Physical Activity will be: (1) to foster the inter-disciplinary development and understanding of the mental health and physical activity field; (2) to develop research designs and methods to advance our understanding; (3) to promote the publication of high quality research on the effects of physical activity (interventions and a single session) on a wide range of dimensions of mental health and psychological well-being (eg, depression, anxiety and stress responses, mood, cognitive functioning and neurological disorders, such as dementia, self-esteem and related constructs, psychological aspects of quality of life among people with physical and mental illness, sleep, addictive disorders, eating disorders), from both efficacy and effectiveness trials;