The Attitudes of Multi-Problem Young Adults on Physical Exercise: A Thematic Analysis

The current study aimed to explore the attitudes of multi-problem young adults (19-27 years, N = 15, M = 23, SD = 2.5) in Rotterdam on physical exercise through thematic analysis. Multi-problem young adults are a subgroup of emerging adults who experience severe psychosocial problems across multiple life domains, including risk behaviour, financial adversities, and occupational obstacles. Fifteen multi-problem young adults, two sports coaches and two social workers from the multi-modal day treatment program De Nieuwe Kans were recruited and interviewed during the COVID-19 pandemic to examine the perceived effects of physical exercise on their lives. Five themes were extracted from the qualitative data with Atlas.ti 25. Young adults experienced positive outcomes in physical well-being (1), psychological well-being (2), personal development (3) and social well-being (4). In particular, improvements in self-regulation, coping mechanisms, structure in lifestyle, and social contact were mentioned most frequently. For these benefits to occur, motivation, mindset and the supportive role of a sports coach were essential (5). A minority described adverse experiences in specific contexts, such as both trauma responses and aggression in combat sports or conflicts during team-based exercise. Overall, physical exercise can be used as a valuable tool for the development of multi-problem young adults in emerging adulthood. This study contributes to the growing body of qualitative literature on the effects of physical exercise for vulnerable emerging adults and provides a deeper understanding of its supportive role during a critical developmental period.