Bystander Training for Coaches in Disability Sports: Findings From the Safe Para Sport Allies Program

Sport participation offers many benefits. However, individuals with disabilities often face barriers to accessing sport. Moreover, when they do participate, they are at a higher risk of experiencing interpersonal violence compared to peers without disabilities.

The Safe Para Sport Allies bystander training program was implemented and evaluated among coaches (n = 87) working with sport participants with intellectual disabilities and/or cerebral palsy.

Following the program, coaches reported higher readiness to change with regard to performing positive bystander behaviours in situations of interpersonal violence. They also reported stronger intentions to set boundaries. When presented with a sport participant-perpetrator scenario, both attitudes and perceived behavioural control improved after the program. No changes in determinants were observed for the coach-perpetrator scenario.

The tailored Safe Para Sport Allies bystander program strengthened coaches' capacity to respond to interpersonal violence in disability sport, underscoring the need for context-sensitive safeguarding strategies.