Exploring the Relationship Between Quality and Quantity of Physical Activity Participation in Community-Based Exercise Programs for Persons With Physical Disabilities

Abstract

Community-based exercise programs for persons with disabilities promote greater quantity of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) participation among their members, perhaps because of the quality experiences fostered by the program. This study aimed to explore the relationship between quality and quantity of physical activity participation in the context of community-based exercise programming and the role that gender plays in this relationship. Adults with physical disabilities (N = 91; Mage = 55, 49 men) from three community-based exercise programs across Canada completed a survey asking about quality participation (Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation [MeEAP]) and LTPA. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between MeEAP scores and LTPA. Quality participation was not related to LTPA, even with gender included as a moderator. Men reported higher levels of LTPA and quality participation than women, highlighting gender differences that should be considered when researching and designing exercise programs for individuals with disabilities.

Quality of Physical Activity Participation Among Adults with Disabilities Through Pandemic Restriction

“…Despite observing individual correlations between quality of participation dimensions and potential predictors, overall quality of PA participation was not predicted by any factors at baseline. This finding contrasts with previous studies that identified quantitative relationships between gender and quality of participation as measured by the MeEAP in context of leisure-time PA for adults with disabilities (Koch et al, 2022). Moreover, another study showed MeEAP scores as a moderator in the relationship between PA and mental health in terms of loneliness (Santino et al, 2021).…”