Identification of Psychosocial Factors Influencing Older Adults’ Sports Participation: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Objective: To identify and systematically classify psychosocial factors associated with older adults’ participation in sport, and to examine their interrelationships across individual, social, and structural levels.

Method: A systematic review of international and national peer-reviewed databases using related keywords and their Persian equivalents. Studies meeting inclusion criteria were selected, and data extraction followed a pre-specified form with content analysis grounded in an extracted conceptual framework.

Result: The determinants of older adults’ sports participation clustered into three primary domains: A) Psychological factors: motivation, attitudes, quality of life, and mental health; B) Social factors: social support, interpersonal interactions, policies, technology, the physical environment, and enablers/barriers; C) Barriers: economic, social, and structural. Data synthesis indicates these factors are multidimensional and interrelated.

Conclusion: Participation in sport among older adults is simultaneously shaped by psychosocial and structural factors; neglecting any domain may undermine intervention effectiveness. Findings can inform evidence-based intervention design and policy development to enhance participation rates.