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Parents' intentions toward including their children with visual impairments in physical activities
Luis Columna1, Denzil A Streete1, Suzanna Rocco-Dillon2
1Department of Exercise Science, School of Education, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
Insights
A physical activity intervention boosted parents' confidence and intentions to include children with visual impairments in family activities. This intervention enhanced parents' skills and understanding, promoting greater physical activity participation for children with visual impairments.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Disability Studies
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Physical activity is crucial for child development and well-being.
- Children with visual impairments have fewer opportunities for physical activity.
- Parental involvement is key to promoting physical activity in children with disabilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze parental intentions for including children with visual impairments in physical activities post-intervention.
- To understand how a physical activity intervention influences family participation.
Main Methods:
- Descriptive-qualitative study based on the theory of planned behavior.
- 10 parents participated in semi-structured interviews after workshops.
- Thematic line-by-line analysis of transcribed interviews.
Main Results:
- Three themes emerged: increased confidence, influence on future intentions, and conditional intentions.
- Parents reported enhanced confidence and understanding of their child's disability.
- Intervention improved parents' perceived teaching abilities for physical activity.
Conclusions:
- Physical activity interventions can enhance parental intentions and skills for engaging children with visual impairments.
- Interventions should combine various methods like oral presentations, written materials, and equipment.
- Parents gained skills to confidently engage their children in physical activities.
Abstract:
Purpose: Physical activity participation is essential for the healthy development of basic locomotor skills and for the overall wellbeing of children. Unfortunately, for children with visual impairments the opportunities to engage in physical activity are limited compared with their peers without disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine and analyze the intentions of parents to include their children with visual impairments, as well as their entire family in physical activities after participating in a physical activity intervention.Methods: This descriptive-qualitative study was situated in the theory of planned behavior. On completion of a series of workshops, 10 parents took part in individual semi-structured interviews that were subsequently transcribed and analyzed using a thematic line-by-line analysis.Results: Through the data analysis three major themes emerged: (a) increased confidence, (b) influence on future intentions, and (c) conditional intentions.Conclusions: Results revealed that the physical activity intervention provided parents with an opportunity to engage their child in physical activities and to gain a deeper understanding of their child's disability. Consequently, the intervention enhanced parent's perceived teaching abilities and skills regarding physical activity.Implications for rehabilitationResults of this study demonstrated that a physical activity intervention have the potential to enhance intentions to engage in physical activity among children with visual impairments and their parents.As a result of this study, parents acquired the skills necessary to confidently engage their children in physical activity.The current physical activity intervention provided parents with an opportunity to engage their child in physical activities and to gain a deeper understanding of their child's disability.Physical activity interventions targeting children with visual impairments and their parents should consider the inclusion of oral presentations combined with written supplements or written manuals, and physical activity equipment.