Participatory Approaches With Girls in Physical Activity Contexts: A Systematic Review

Purpose : This study reviewed the literature on the use of participatory approaches (Participatory Action Research and Activist Approaches), developed with girls to address the challenges in their engagement in physical activity (PA) contexts, such as physical education (PE), and sport. The study aimed to identify the main challenges, purposes, benefits, and limitations of these approaches while highlighting how they supported girls’ engagement, motivation, and critical awareness, and facilitated the co-construction of knowledge with them. In doing so, it shows how Participatory Action Research and Activist Approaches can challenge gender norms and power relations that have historically constrained girls’ participation in PE and sport, helping to both advance critical pedagogy–understood as context-specific critical practice–and to strengthen feminist praxis by translating feminist theory into concrete actions. Method : Using the PRISMA protocol, 32 studies published between 1990 and 2025 were selected from eight databases, predominantly from English-speaking contexts and involving ethnic minorities and/or participants of medium to low socioeconomic status. Results : The studies addressed two key challenges: (a) to create spaces for reflection and change in girls’ engagement in PE and sport and (b) the critical awareness of their bodily experience. Co-created programs identified obstacles, such as gender stereotypes, low confidence, and limited opportunities; and promoted meaningful participation, enhanced motivation, and connected PE to daily life. Girls also critically analyzed social body ideals. These findings highlight both the barriers and the strategies that can effectively foster girls’ engagement and critical reflection, showing how the participatory approaches allow them to understand and negotiate the social and institutional structures that constrain their experiences in PE and sport. Discussion/Conclusion : Creating participative learning environments in PA contexts encourages active engagement and reflection among girls. Co-investigation and student-centered methods are key to their sustainable participation, while simultaneously fostering critical feminist awareness and empowerment that support broader processes for social transformation.