ERIC Number: EJ802006
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Jul
Pages: 19
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0736-5829
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Physical Activity and Quality of Life Experienced by Highly Active Individuals with Physical Disabilities
Giacobbi, Peter R., Jr.; Stancil, Michael; Hardin, Brent; Bryant, Lance
Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, v25 n3 p189-207 Jul 2008
The present study examined links between physical activity and quality of life experienced by individuals with physical disabilities recruited from a wheelchair user's basketball tournament. The participants included 12 male and 14 female adults between the ages of 18-54 (M = 31.12, SD = 10.75) who all reported one or more condition(s) that impacted their daily living. They were administered the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities (Washburn, Weimo, McAuley, Frogley, & Figoni, 2002) and in-depth interviews focused on their physical activity experiences and evaluations about their quality of life. Grounded theory analyses (Charmaz, 2000, 2002) revealed that individuals who use wheelchairs perceived a number of psychological, social, and health benefits associated with physical activity involvement. The participants' evaluations and descriptions of their physical activity experiences appeared to support self-efficacy beliefs, feelings of empowerment, and motivation for continued involvement. First-person descriptions are presented to demonstrate how and why physical activity behaviors were perceived to enhance the quality of the participants' lives. (Contains 1 table, 1 figure, and 2 notes.)
Descriptors: Grounded Theory, Athletics, Physical Disabilities, Self Efficacy, Physical Activity Level, Quality of Life, Assistive Technology, Physical Activities, Correlation, Team Sports, Adults, Interviews, Social Influences, Psychological Patterns, Empowerment, Motivation, Mental Health, Physical Health
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Author Affiliations: N/A