"Now We Can Speak": Wheelchair Sport Participation in Areas of Armed Conflict.

This study sought to understand the lived experiences of wheelchair basketball athletes from low- and middle-income countries of recent or current armed conflict and the meaning that they ascribed to their participation. Wheelchair basketball athletes (N = 108) from eight national teams participated in semistructured focus-group interviews. Study data were analyzed thematically using an interpretive descriptive approach. Three themes were developed: "I can do anything I want; not only basketball," self-concept changes through sport participation; "Now they see me as a respectable person," societal belonging through sport; and "I have motivated other disabled people," influence on nonparticipating disabled persons. The findings indicated that participation in wheelchair sports may help disabled persons see themselves as capable individuals on the court and in aspects of daily living, perhaps even peer role models for other disabled persons in their communities and countries.

Predicting physical activity among adults with visual impairments using the theory of planned behavior.

BACKGROUND: Using the theory of planned behavior (TPB), Haegele et al.1 created the beliefs of individuals with visual impairments about physical activity scale (BIVIPA-1) to examine individuals with visual impairments' (VI) motivation toward physical activity (PA). The overall factorial tenability of the BIVIPA-1 remains unclear due to its item configuration. OBJECTIVE/HYPOTHESIS: The purposes of this cross-sectional study were to: (a) use confirmatory factor analysis to explore the structure of the expanded BIVIPA-2 and (b) test the predictive utility of TPB constructs on PA among adults with VI. METHODS: Adults with VI (n = 236) completed the BIVIPA-2 and a multi-item PA recall instrument. A CFA was performed on the BIVIPA-2, and structural equation modeling was used to explore the relationship between theory constructs and PA. RESULTS: The CFA results showed that the underlying structure of BIVIPA-2 was tenable for adults with VI based on TPB. Structural equation modeling showed limited support for the theorized predictive roles of theory variables on PA, as attitude predicted physical activity intention. Interestingly, subjective norm was a direct predictor for PA among adults with VI (ß = 0.145). CONCLUSIONS: TPB had limited predictive utility for physical activity among individuals with VI. The predictive relationship of subjective norms on PA may be somewhat unique to this population. Researchers may consider expanding the model to examine social support and subjective norms constructs and PA among individuals with VI.

Barriers, Expectancy-Value Beliefs, and Physical Activity Engagement Among Adults With Visual Impairments.

The purpose of this inquiry was to examine the relationship between barriers to physical activity, expectancy-value variables, and physical activity engagement among adults with visual impairments. Using a descriptive correlational approach, a sample of 214 adults with visual impairments (Mage = 43.14, SD = 13.67) completed questionnaires pertaining to barriers to physical activity, expectancy-value beliefs about physical activity, and physical activity engagement. Data were analyzed via correlation and hierarchical regression. The final regression model explained 20.30% of variance in physical activity (p < .001). Intrinsic value (ß = 0.26, p = .01) and expectancy beliefs (ß = 0.33, p < .001) each emerged as significant predictors of physical activity engagement, which suggests that expectancy-value theory may have some utility for investigating the physical activity engagement of individuals with visual impairments. However, the lack of significant contribution of other variables such as attainment and utility values, as well as barriers factors, underscores the need for additional research in this area.

Physical activity, nutrition, and psychological well-being among youth with visual impairments and their siblings.

PURPOSE: The primary purpose of this study was to examine physical activity, nutritional intake, and psychological well-being differences between youth with visual impairments and their siblings residing in the same household. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationship between physical activity behavior and psychological well-being among youth with visual impairments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 22 dyads of youth with visual impairments and siblings completed this study. Data were collected through parent-reported demographic and psychological well-being questionnaires, nutritional intake questionnaires, and accelerometry. Data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially, examining proportion difference using McNemar's z-test, and mean differences using multivariate analyses of variance. RESULTS: Siblings without visual impairments had higher but not significantly higher daily average moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (d = 0.46), significantly higher prosocial score (d = 0.63), and lower but not significantly lower difficulty scores (d = 0.39), than youth with visual impairments. Small, not statistically significant, nutritional intake differences between siblings were found. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in physical activity and nutritional habits between those with visual impairments and their siblings were not significant, supporting the environmentally driven nature of these variables. Associations between physical activity and well-being were not apparent in this study but may be partially explained by low participant physical activity.Implications for RehabilitationYouth with visual impairments and the siblings may be influenced by the same familial factors and molded in a similar fashion by parenting behaviors regarding health-related behaviors.In this study, youth with visual impairments engaged in similar physical activity and nutritional behaviors to their siblings without visual impairments.Efforts to improve health-related behaviors among those with visual impairments may be most effective at the family level.Small subsets of youth with visual impairments gain mental health benefits from physical activity engagement.

Expectancy-value beliefs, identity, and physical activity among adults with visual impairments.

PURPOSE: Physical activity plays a key role in health promotion and disease prevention, yet individuals with visual impairments do not generally engage in sufficient physical activity. The purpose of this study was to explore the expectancy-value beliefs, identity beliefs, and physical activity engagement among individuals with visual impairments. METHOD: This investigation utilized a qualitative descriptive approach and was situated within the framework of expectancy-value theory. Eight adults (aged 21-34; five women and three men) participated in semi-structured, audio recorded interviews. Transcribed interviews and associated interview notes were thematically analyzed using a five-step process. RESULTS: Three interrelated themes emerged from the data: (a) "I feel better. I feel healthier": The importance of physical activity and sport, (b) "Maybe I will make a goal, maybe I won't": Perceived confidence in physical activity, and (c) "I have to decide if it's really worth it": Barriers to participation. Interpreted through the lens of expectancy-value theory, the themes reflect the complex relationship between participants' feelings of identity and ability, their perceived value of physical activity and sport, and the drawbacks to participation. CONCLUSION: Further examination using the expectancy-value model is necessary to better understand and support the physical activity needs of this population.Implications for rehabilitationResults of the study indicated that adults with visual impairments believed that physical activity was important for health and enjoyment, but reported experiencing barriers to physical activity participation.Adults with visual impairments reported varying levels of confidence in their ability to be successful at physical activity and sport across different activity contexts and at different periods in their lives.Accessible equipment and facilities are needed to alleviate barriers to physical activity experienced by adults with visual impairments.Rehabilitation professionals should design appropriate, community-based programing to better include individuals with visual impairments in physical activity and exercise settings.

Physical Activity Among Children with Visual Impairments, Siblings, and Parents: Exploring Familial Factors.

INTRODUCTION: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with positive physical and psychological health outcomes, yet youth with visual impairments tend to not to engage in sufficient MVPA. The purposes of this study were to (a) examine how familial factors were associated with MVPA among youth with visual impairments, their siblings, and parents and (b) examine the daily MVPA correlation among these family members. METHODS: Twenty-two familial triads, including one child with a visual impairment, participated in this study. Accelerometers were used to measure MVPA and individual and familial factors were reported via questionnaire. RESULTS: Of the individual and familial factors measured, only family member role significantly predicted MVPA (ß = .43, p < .01), as parents accumulated significantly more activity than their children (f2 = .22). The MVPA of children with visual impairments and their siblings were positively correlated (r = .39), while small negative relationships were found between MVPA of parents and children with and without visual impairments (r = - .16; r = - .33, respectively). DISCUSSION: In contrast with earlier findings, parents in the current study were significantly more active than their children with or without visual impairments. Potential reasons for this difference included the homogeneity of the sample, including a relatively high mean income level and parent education, which may have alleviated some typically reported barriers to parental MVPA. Future inquiries in this area should examine individual- and family-level factors concurrently to better understand their impact on MVPA within the familial triad.