Recreational Sport Programs for Emerging Adults with a Disability: Exploring Quality Experiences and the Social Environment
Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Recreational sport provides leisure and community opportunities to many individuals. Specifically, recreational sport can provide continuity during the transition from adolescence to adulthood when many life changes occur (e.g., school, work). For individuals with a disability, this transitional period (ages 18 – 25 years) may be extremely important as there is an abrupt ending to community programming after adolescence. This doctoral research program explored the social and transitionary experiences of emerging adults with a disability in recreational sport programs. Study 1, a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature, identified limited research and a lack of explicit discussion of peer interactions in recreational sport programs for emerging adults with a disability. Study 2 used a mixed methods approach to observe and explore the peer interactions that occur for emerging adults with a disability within recreational sport programs. Conducted in communities across Ontario (two women, six men, and three sport programs), Study 2 combined dynamic systems and qualitative approaches to highlight the non-normative ways individuals with a disability may interact and achieve a sense of belonging on a recreational sports team. Finally, Study 3 presents a case study of a recreational paddling program for individuals with an intellectual disability. All persons involved in the program (i.e., administration, coaches, athletes, and parents) engaged in a multi-method, two-month case study of the social environment, development, and experiences of participating in such a program with attention focused on the role peers may (not) have. Study 3 highlights issues of disablism – socially-imposed barriers to full participation – that occurred within the paddling program and the necessity of coach training regulation to ensure coaches understand foundational coaching strategies along with disability-relevant knowledge (e.g., communication strategies). Overall, this doctoral research program highlights the individuality in social experiences within recreational sport contexts, the extended role of parents in their adult children’s lives, and the role that recreational sport can play on the transitionary experiences of emerging adults with a disability.
Source: TSpace (University of Toronto)
Author: Krystn Orr
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3150120091