The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial

Background. Adapted activities have relied on pedagogical, organizational and material adaptations to ensure equitable and beneficial participation for all students. Objectives. This study aimed to examine the influence of adapted physical education and involvement in school para-athletics on the m...

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Main Authors: Omar Ben Rakaa, Carla Lourenço, Mustapha Bassiri, Said Lotfi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: OVS LLC 2025-05-01
Series:Physical Education Theory and Methodology
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Online Access:https://www.tmfv.com.ua/journal/article/view/3324
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author Omar Ben Rakaa
Carla Lourenço
Mustapha Bassiri
Said Lotfi
author_facet Omar Ben Rakaa
Carla Lourenço
Mustapha Bassiri
Said Lotfi
author_sort Omar Ben Rakaa
collection DOAJ
description Background. Adapted activities have relied on pedagogical, organizational and material adaptations to ensure equitable and beneficial participation for all students. Objectives. This study aimed to examine the influence of adapted physical education and involvement in school para-athletics on the motivation to engage in sports practice and the psychological well-being of students with motor disabilities. Materials and methods. The present study involved 96 students with motor disabilities (mean age: 16.79 ± 0.87 years) enrolled in Moroccan public schools. Participants were categorised into three groups based on para-athletics classification: 30% in class 30, 40% in classes 40, and 30% in class 50. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group with no structured intervention, a group following an adapted physical education (APE) programme (24 sessions), and a third group combining the APE programme with additional para-athletics training, including competitions, over a three-month period (24 sessions).The study utilised the SMS-28 scale to measure motivation and Carol Ryff’s scale to assess the level of psychological well-being, with evaluations conducted pre- and post-intervention. Results. The findings indicated that the APE+Para-Athletics group showed notable enhancements in nearly all domains of motivation, including a 205% increase in intrinsic motivation to stimulation. Additionally, it was observed improvementsin psychological well-being, particularly in autonomy and positive relationships with others. In comparison, the control group demonstrated minimal change, while the APE group also recorded improvements, albeit to a lesser extent than the group combining the two programs. Conclusions. This study confirms that the combination of APE and inclusive sport, including para-athletics, is an effective strategy for optimizing the motivation and psychological well-being of students with motor disabilities.
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spelling doaj-art-69d646f3d5a741c5a5d867f14a2d01912025-08-20T02:01:28ZengOVS LLCPhysical Education Theory and Methodology1993-79891993-79972025-05-0125310.17309/tmfv.2025.3.21The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control TrialOmar Ben Rakaa0Carla Lourenço1Mustapha Bassiri2Said Lotfi3Hassan II University of CasablancaPolytechnic Institute of ViseuHassan II University of CasablancaHassan II University of CasablancaBackground. Adapted activities have relied on pedagogical, organizational and material adaptations to ensure equitable and beneficial participation for all students. Objectives. This study aimed to examine the influence of adapted physical education and involvement in school para-athletics on the motivation to engage in sports practice and the psychological well-being of students with motor disabilities. Materials and methods. The present study involved 96 students with motor disabilities (mean age: 16.79 ± 0.87 years) enrolled in Moroccan public schools. Participants were categorised into three groups based on para-athletics classification: 30% in class 30, 40% in classes 40, and 30% in class 50. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: a control group with no structured intervention, a group following an adapted physical education (APE) programme (24 sessions), and a third group combining the APE programme with additional para-athletics training, including competitions, over a three-month period (24 sessions).The study utilised the SMS-28 scale to measure motivation and Carol Ryff’s scale to assess the level of psychological well-being, with evaluations conducted pre- and post-intervention. Results. The findings indicated that the APE+Para-Athletics group showed notable enhancements in nearly all domains of motivation, including a 205% increase in intrinsic motivation to stimulation. Additionally, it was observed improvementsin psychological well-being, particularly in autonomy and positive relationships with others. In comparison, the control group demonstrated minimal change, while the APE group also recorded improvements, albeit to a lesser extent than the group combining the two programs. Conclusions. This study confirms that the combination of APE and inclusive sport, including para-athletics, is an effective strategy for optimizing the motivation and psychological well-being of students with motor disabilities. https://www.tmfv.com.ua/journal/article/view/3324parasports in schoolspsychological heaadapted sportsinclusive educationsocial relationspersonal development
spellingShingle Omar Ben Rakaa
Carla Lourenço
Mustapha Bassiri
Said Lotfi
The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
Physical Education Theory and Methodology
parasports in schools
psychological hea
adapted sports
inclusive education
social relations
personal development
title The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
title_full The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
title_fullStr The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
title_full_unstemmed The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
title_short The Effect of Adapted Physical Activity and Inclusive Sport on the Motivation and Psychological Health of Children with Disabilities: A Randomized Control Trial
title_sort effect of adapted physical activity and inclusive sport on the motivation and psychological health of children with disabilities a randomized control trial
topic parasports in schools
psychological hea
adapted sports
inclusive education
social relations
personal development
url https://www.tmfv.com.ua/journal/article/view/3324
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