Physical performance trajectories for children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities and the effect of sports participation and perceived peer support on physical performance : a prospective study

Abstract

The benefits of sports participation and physical activity in improving health for the general population, including children and adolescents are widely known. However, current research surrounding children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (CAID), known for their sedentary lifestyle and increased burden of disease, is limited. Furthermore, despite current literature measuring domains for CAID such as perceived peer support, sports participation, and physical performance trajectories independently, studies have failed to address the temporal relationship between these domains to address causality. This thesis investigated trajectories of physical performance of 395 Australian (N=253, 67.20% males) and Canadian (N=142, 49.30% males) children and adolescents with ID (Mage= 15.82) established in a dataset collected across a 3-year longitudinal study. Further, it explored whether peer support and Out of School Sports (OOSS) had been determinants of improved trajectories of physical performance via the use of self-reported questionnaires administered annually. In the present secondary analysis, a mixed model linear regression was used to address the outcomes associated with the physical performance tests: Handgrip strength, Balance Beam, Sit-and-Reach flexibility, 6-Minute walk, Squat Jump Height and Force, Sit-up and 25-metre speed tests, which were followed-up yearly over the three years to establish a correlation between improvements in physical test performance and participation in sports with typically developing peers (TDP). The thesis also examined whether the outcomes of peer support in sports participation exhibited through the questionnaire responses and exposure of physical performance are linked and if the CAID's perception of peer support would predict their level of physical performance in sports participation. This study is among the few that examined changes over time in comprehensive physical performance battery for CAID. Further, it contributes to the scarce volume of information pertaining to integrated sports participation for CAID and support from their TDP on their physical performance trajectories. The findings can be translated into a call to action for future research which is still required to understand the association between positive peer support for CAID in integrated OOSS participation and whether this can improve physical performance long-term. It is also vital for inside-of-school sports programmes to be reviewed to understand why they have a limited impact on the physical performance of CAID.

Date of Award	2020
Original language	English