Development and Validation of a Tool for Assessing Barriers to Participation in Team Sports for Women with Physical-Mobility Disabilities

Abstract

Background. Creating proper contexts to maximize sport participation of women with physical-mobility disabilities requires identifying barriers to their participation. It is essential to develop a valid and reliable tool to identify existing barriers. Objectives. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a questionnaire for assessing barriers to participation in team sports for women with physical-mobility disabilities. Methods. The data were collected through theoretical literature, observation and semi-structured interviews with experts and professors of disability sports and women with physical-mobility disabilities selected through purposeful and snowball sampling methods. The main barriers were identified and the questionnaire was then prepared. To carry out statistical analysis on reliability and validity of the tool using factor analysis, the above questionnaire was distributed among 300 statistical samples selected by proportional stratified sampling across the country. Results. Results of factor analysis showed that it was logical to maintain 10 factors that explained 65.5% of the total variance. All items had a positive contribution to overall reliability. Conclusion. The final questionnaire (10 factors and 48 questions) was developed that could be a reliable tool for future researches, the results of which can be used by disability sport administrators to adopt policies to ensure active sport participation of women with physical mobility disabilities.

Barriers to Physical Activity for Women with Physical Disabilities: A Systematic Review

“…A society that does not recognize and value people with functional diversity loses all the potential they have to offer [ 76 ]. Other barriers identified as differentiating factors were culture and media [ 17 ], but in this research, they were far less represented.…”

“…All the selected articles had to identify a study outcome that referred specifically to women. These outcomes were grouped according to the type of outcome, corresponding to a differentiating factors which were as a result of an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) that explained 56.5% of the total variance: personal, physical, psychological, leadership, media support, coaching role, economic, others’ attitudes, social, and cultural/religious support [ 17 ]. The barriers identified in each study were categorized and unified according to each grouping factor.…”

“…However, only 40% of women take part in the minimum recommended amount of physical activity [ 4 , 11 ], and in general, people with disabilities are in poorer health than the general population [ 2 , 12 , 13 ]. People with different disabilities such as cerebral palsy or spinal cord injury often face significant barriers to participating in physical activity [ 14 , 15 , 16 ], and in particular, women with physical disabilities often face unique and multiple challenges to practicing physical activity, including social, psychological, and physical barriers [ 17 ].…”