Parental perceptions of participation in physical activities for preschoolers with disabilities

ABSTRACT

Children with disabilities tend to participate in fewer physical activities than typically developing children. To promote participation in physical activities for children with disabilities, it is important to understand (a) parents’ experiences and roles in supporting their children's physical activities and (b) factors that might influence children's physically active behaviours. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight mothers of preschoolers with disabilities. Interview data were transcribed and analyzed to identify key themes. The majority of participants valued physical activities and were aware of the benefits of physical activities for their children. Several parental support behaviours were identified from the data, with the most frequent support behaviours being: logistics, prompts, and encouragement. Parents also described barriers that influence participation in physical activities for their children with disabilities. Implications for research and practice are noted.

KEYWORDS:

• Physical activity
• preschoolers
• disabilities
• parents
• perceptions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Hsiu-Wen Yang is a doctoral student in department of Special Education at University of Illinois, Urbana- Champaign. Her research interests include early childhood special education, physical activities, motor skills, and and family-centered interventions for use with young children with disabilities.

Michaelene M. Ostrosky is a professor of Special Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. Throughout her career, she has been involved in research and dissemination on inclusion and the acceptance of children with disabilities, social emotional competence, and challenging behavior.

Hedda Meadan is an Associate Professor at the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois. She is a Goldstick Family Scholar, a University Scholar, and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Dr. Meadan's areas of interest include social-communication skills and challenging behavior of children with disabilities and intervention methods to enhance these spheres of functioning.

ORCID

Hsiu-Wen Yang http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5891-2243