Abstract
Improving social support within adult physical activity (PA) can foster belonging and connectedness, reduce social isolation, and contribute to PA motivation and adherence. We identified nine categories of social support strategies through two reviews of the literature: feeling welcomed and included, making PA fun, modelling PA, providing information, encouragement, mastery feedback, autonomy support, emotional support, and fostering social connections. This study aimed to obtain feedback from fitness professionals and PA participants to translate these categories into educational resources for fitness professionals. We conducted 14 focus groups with administrators, fitness professionals, and adult PA participants (n = 50) across four sites (Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal). Input was sought on strategies for providing social support, feasibility in PA settings, and considerations for inclusion in an educational module for fitness professionals. Questions addressed perceptions of resource content (what strategies resonated, should be emphasized, were missing, and/or needed modification) and how this information would be received by fitness professionals. Themes included ensuring the resources addressed: (1) recognizing and customizing support based on diverse needs, (2) how to communicate support and be open to connection and feedback, (3) creating a climate that balances varying needs for social interaction, (4) providing emotional support within the scope of the fitness professional-participant relationship, and (5) framing PA positively while being sensitive to varying attitudes and experiences. These results will inform the development and evaluation of educational resources focused on actionable social support strategies fitness professionals can use with adults in group PA contexts.
