Strength-referenced competence support in physical education for twice-exceptional students with physical disabilities

Physical education (PE) can make motor performance visible while leaving advanced tactical or analytical capacities unrecognized. For twice-exceptional students with physical disabilities, accessible participation may coexist with insufficient challenge, while recognition of advanced ability may accompany restricted movement. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Basic Psychological Need Theory, we develop strength-referenced competence support as an instructional principle. The principle connects evidenced PE-relevant advanced capacity with appropriate challenge, accessible assessment evidence, and substantive recognition, and adapted motor learning. An assessment-and-recognition model specifies how these instructional conditions enter established motivational pathways. Seven propositions examine what changes when access, challenge, recognition, or student influence improves, including a tentative extension to later activity. We distinguish this principle from related educational approaches while identifying conditions under which they provide equivalent support. Its contribution lies in conditional predictions about which learning requirements remain unmet after an adaptation. Comparative tests must establish whether these distinctions improve explanation beyond general teaching measures; familiar need-motivation associations alone are insufficient. The predictions require direct empirical evaluation.