8.8: Youth with Disabilities
- Page ID
- 113799
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)Youth with disabilities often obtain lower levels of physical activity than those without disabilities. According to a report from the United States, 58% of boys between 5–11 years old that have long-term mobility limitations met the physical activity guidelines compared to 75% of boys in this age range without mobility limitations (National Physical Activity Plan Alliance, 2018). Additionally, less than 20% of children with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, or Down syndrome between ages 6–17 years met the guidelines. Similar discrepancies have been reported in Canada, where only 16% of children and youth with disabilities report at least 60 minutes of daily physical activity (ParticipACTION, 2018). The National Survey of Children’s Health (US, NSCH) gathers data on noninstitutionalized youth ages 0–17 in the United States. A review of NSCH data from 2011-2012 demonstrated lower levels of physical activity among adolescents age 13–17 with severe visual impairments (2.4 days of MVPA per week) compared to those without impairments (3.93 days of MVPA per week; Haegele et al., 2019a). However, as similar review of NSCH data from 2016 found that visual impairment was not associated with the likelihood of meeting the physical activity guidelines either for children or adolescents (Haegele et al., 2019b). These results suggest a need for additional research in this area along with consideration of the degree of severity of impairments.
Programs and opportunities that promote physical activity must consider different adjustments for youth with physical disabilities and intellectual and developmental disabilities. This may include considerations for equipment, space, group size, instruction, and safety. A systematic review of physical activity interventions for youth who use wheelchairs found that programs could achieve improvements in health, fitness, and well-being but that results were often not maintained during follow-up and that studies were generally of low quality (O’Brien et al., 2016). Parents of children with disabilities report many perceived benefits of physical activity participation for their child such as health and socialization. Unfortunately, they also report many barriers to physical activity participation including low motivation on the part of their children, overprotection, and lack of programs and professionals that address the specific needs of their children (Columna et al., 2020).
Interventions for youth with disabilities are likely to vary greatly depending on the age group and the specific disability. For example, interventions for youth with visual impairments need to consider different factors than physical activity programs for youth with intellectual disabilities or those who have experienced an amputation. While the validity of activity monitors among wheelchair users has been studied (Learmonth et al., 2016; Sonenblum et al., 2012), much more work is needed to develop and evaluate physical activity promotion programs for this population. Despite a call for more research on youth with disabilities being issued over 20 years ago (Cooper et al., 1999), additional data is still needed in this area.