Fostering affect-related competencies and positive affective exercise experiences for promoting a physically active lifestyle in inactive young adults: study protocol for the FEEL cluster randomized controlled trial

TL;DR

This study tests a holistic exercise program to improve affect-related skills and positive exercise experiences in inactive young adults.

Contribution

The FEEL trial introduces a novel holistic exercise intervention targeting multiple factors influencing affective exercise experiences and PAAR competence.

Findings

The study will assess the efficacy of the FEEL program compared to a standardized Functional Training program.

It will measure outcomes like PAAR competence, affective exercise experiences, and well-being over time.

Results may provide insights into how to design effective exercise programs for inactive young adults.

Abstract

Growing evidence highlights the role of affective responses in shaping exercise behavior. Various factors, such as social setting, intensity, or activity type, influence affective exercise experiences. However, previous interventions have typically targeted only one factor at a time. The idea of the FEEL exercise program is to address these various factors in a holistic manner. Additionally, it focuses on fostering Physical Activity-Related Affect Regulation (PAAR) competence in participants, which is crucial for maintaining regular exercise behavior and well-being.

The FEEL study is a multicenter, cluster-randomized controlled trial. It evaluates the FEEL exercise program's efficacy compared to an active control group participating in a standardized Functional Training program. A total of 160 young adults (aged 18–35) who are not regularly exercising will be recruited across the two cities, Tübingen (Germany) and Bern (Switzerland). Both exercise programs consist of eight weekly 90-min group-based sessions. Primary outcome will assess PAAR using a validated scale, while secondary outcomes will include affective exercise experiences (AFFEXX), motivational competence, physical activity levels, and affective well-being. Measurements will be collected at baseline (t1), post-intervention (t2), and at an 8-week follow-up (t3). Data will be analyzed using multilevel modeling to examine group-by-time interactions, following a modified intention-to-treat approach.

This study explores the impact of a holistic intervention in a primary and secondary prevention context. It may provide valuable insights for practical considerations of affective processes and related competencies in exercise programs.

German Clinical Trials Register; ID: DRKS00035302.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-025-24374-9.

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