European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 2022 (vol. 15)
Age and sex-based differences in functional strength of adults participating in Special Olympics
Viviene A. Temple, Pauli Rintala, Shayla Zeitz, Meghann Lloyd, John T. Foley
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 1 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.009 
Muscular strength is a critical component of physical health. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine age- and sex-based differences in functional strength and rates of referral for education in a large international sample of Special Olympics athletes. A total of 30,358 (male = 19,661) adult (20–69 years old) athlete functional strength records were utilized from the Special Olympics Healthy Athletes database. Descriptive statistics were computed for the following tests: timed sit to stand, partial sit-up, grip strength, and seated push-up. Analyses of variance with Fisher-Hayter pairwise comparisons generally supported age-related...
Reliability and validity of an observational system to qualify performance indicators in goalball matches: Scal-Go proposal
Isabella Alves, Leonardo Gomide, Maria Julia Rocha, Tatiana Vizu, Rodrigo Aquino, Rafael Menezes, Otávio Furtado, Márcio Morato
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 2 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.006
Which situations compose the success and failure in goalball matches? Our aims were to develop a scale to assess performance indicators in goalball and, to evaluate this proposed scale according to contextual variables (i.e., team level, match outcome and match status). Non-participant match observation method was applied in 24 goalball matches from the Paralympic Games 2016. Firstly, an observational system development was composed by performance indicators (named as Scal-Go). Success and failure from offensive and defensive phases were stratified into a spreadsheet. Following, inter and intra reliability stages were conducted together with content...
Sleep habits, quality and chronotype of Paralympic athletes
Dekkel Bachar, Davidah Koseff, Osnat Fliess Douer
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 3 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.014
This study aimed to understand the sleeping habits of Israeli Paralympic Athletes as a pre-intervention stage to implement sleep hygiene programs. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index questionnaire was used to assess sleep quality. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was used to determine sleepiness throughout the day. Chronotype was detected using the Horne and Östberg Questionnaire. Para-athletes who were expected to represent Israel at the Tokyo 2020 games were approached via email. The surveys were collected online between April and August, 2018. Para-athletes (n = 52, male = 32, female = 20, mean age = 31.2y, SD = 11.9, from 13 different sport disciplines)...
Measurement properties of scores from a novel blind football assessment for adolescents with visual impairments
Adam Pennell, Emily Gilbert, Ali Brian, Pamela Beach, Lauren Lieberman
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 4 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.012
Football (soccer) is one of the most popular sports for individuals with visual impairments (VI) worldwide but nascent within the United States (US). While there is burgeoning interest toward developing blind football at grassroot and national levels, particularly with the forthcoming 2028 Paralympics, no football-based talent identification or skill assessment has been developed or vetted in the US. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate measurement properties of scores from a novel football assessment in amateur-skilled adolescents with VI in the US. Adolescents (n = 57) with VI physically completed the Blind Football...
The concurrent and predictive validity of a tool to measure strength engagement during inclusive equestrian vaulting
Virginia Lefeaux, Lynneth Stuart-Hill, Helgi Sangret, Dani Vipond, Amber Nordquist, Robert Busch, Viviene A. Temple
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 5 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.010
Participation in muscle strengthening activities is a less examined component of public health physical activity guidelines for children and youth compared to participation in physical activity. In part, the lack of focus on strength is associated with the difficultly of measuring strength activities during participation. The aim of this pilot study was to develop and provide evidence of the concurrent and predictive validity of the Strength Observation during Vaulting (SOV) tool. Six female youth (4 with a disability and 2 without a disability) ranging in age from 11 – 22 years (Mage = 14.2 y, SD = 4.0) participating in a 5-day inclusive...
EUCAPA 2022 Book of Abstracts
European Conference of Adapted Physical Activity
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 6 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.003
This is the book of abstracts for the European Conference of Adapted Physical Activity (EUCAPA) 2022. The event is held between the 9th - 11th June 2022 and hosted by the University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Athletes’ motivation, anxiety, and locus of control at the Brazilian powerchair football national championship
Angela Nogueira Neves, Marcelo Callegari Zanetti, Joelson Guilherme de Almeida, Míriam Raquel Meira Mainenti, Patrícia dos Santos Vigário
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 7 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.011
The aim of this study was to evaluate motivation, competitive anxiety, locus of control and their associations with performance and training parameters. This cross-sectional study included 24 male athletes (Mage = 28.3 years, SD = 11.0) who were approached during the functional classification session, the day prior to the start of the Brazilian Powerchair Football National Championship and invited to participate in the study. The Sports Motivation Scale-II, Competitive State Anxiety Inventory-2, and Locus of Control in Sports Scale were used to collect data. From the results, autonomous motivation was more prominent than controlled motivation...
Theory of planned behaviour for physical activity of adults living with physical disabilities: A replication systematic review
Myung Ha Sur, Deborah Shapiro
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 8 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2021.015
Programme interventionists often determine best practices from systematic reviews of the literature. Interpretations of findings from systematic reviews, however, are susceptible to subjective decisions of the authors. Replication of systematic reviews by different authors on the same topic can increase the authenticity of findings, analysis, and interpretations. The purposes of the current paper were to (a) replicate a systematic literature review using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) to understand the intention of adults living with physical disabilities to participate in PA, and (b) compare the findings with a published systematic literature...
Adaptation of the Sport Motivation Scale in Flemish-speaking athletes with and without intellectual disabilities
Adriana Marin-Urquiza, Debbie Van Biesen
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 9 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.005
Motivation is essential for adopting and maintaining active lifestyles. This study aims to adapt an instrument that comprehensively screens the degree and type of motivation in Flemish speaking athletes with intellectual disabilities (ID). A translated (SMS-FL), a modified (SMS-FL-ID), and a condensed (SMS-FL-ID-short) version of the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) (Pelletier et al., 1995) were created. The 7-factor structure of each scale was examined by an exploratory factor analysis in a sample of athletes without ID (n = 230) and athletes with ID (n = 96). The results confirmed preliminary acceptance of the SMS-FL development. However, two psychometric...
Step regulation in Paralympic long jumpers with intellectual impairment
Adrián García-Fresneda, Apostolos S. Theodorou, Vassilios Panoutsakopoulos, Miguel Angel Torralba Jordán, Josep-Maria Padullés, Xavier Padullés, Mariana C. Kotzamanidou
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 10 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.004
Long jump has been extensively used in the investigation of perception-action coupling. The restraints imposed by the tasks nested at the take-off board compel skilled long jumpers to adjust the length of the final 4-5 steps of the run-up based on visual input informing about time-to-arrival. This exploratory study examined the visual regulation parameters in athletes with intellectual impairment (II) during the approach of the long jump. The approach run of 10 elite level T20 Class long jumpers (IIJ) and 10 international level long jumpers without II (NIJ) was recorded during competition. An initial ascending variability of foot placement was observed...
A synthesis of potential impairment assessment tools for Para dressage classification
Rachel C. Stockley, Lindsay St George, Jill Alexander, Joseph Spencer, Sarah Jane Hobbs
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 11 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.011
The key aim of classification in Para sport is to try and ensure that competitors are grouped so that they compete against others with impairments that cause a similar level of activity limitation within a specific sport. This synthesis aimed to identify existing, valid, and reliable, impairment assessment tools to measure eligible impairments that influence an individual’s ability to compete at Para dressage. A multi-stage approach was employed, where a systematic search of professional databases of impairment assessment tools first identified 35 tools for Para dressage. Then, a search strategy was developed, based on these 35 tools, and 305...
The effects of fatigability on shooting skill performance in goalball penalty shots
Jônatas Augusto Cursiol, Tarine Botta de Arruda, Isabella dos Santos Alves, Luiz Henrique Palucci Vieira, Fabio Augusto Barbieri, Ricardo Augusto Barbieri
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 12 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.006
This study evaluated the influence of acute fatigue on shooting skill performance in goalball penalty shots. Eleven sub-elite male players were evaluated in an official court using a two-dimensional procedure (60 Hz) to compute the mean radial error, bivariate variable error and accuracy, and three-dimensional kinematics (240 Hz) to measure ball velocity. Rating of perceived exertion, blood lactate concentration and knee extension isometric maximal voluntary contractions were assessed at rest and immediately after the completion of an incremental test specific to goalball. Although significant differences were observed for rating of perceived...
Situational interest of students with autism spectrum disorder using context personalization in physical education
Claudia Verret, Cédric Roure, Cassandre Ouellet, Line Massé, Johanne Grenier, Geneviève Bergeron
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 13 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.008
Physical education can enable students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to live positive experiences and adopt a healthy lifestyle. However, motivation may be a critical factor in their success. In this perspective, the context personalization approach could be valuable to support the interests and motivation of students with ASD in physical education. This qualitative interpretative research documents the Situational Interest dimensions of four high school male students with ASD (14 years old, boys) following a team sports unit conceived and personalized by their physical education teacher to meet their interest in video games. After the unit,...
Exploring physical activity level after procurement of adapted tricycle; Quantity versus enjoyment
Berit Gjessing, Astrid Nyquist, Reidun Jahnsen
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 15, 14 (2022) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2022.012
People with disabilities are less active than people without disabilities, and many do not reach the recommended amount of moderate intensity physical activity. This study aimed to investigate whether people with disabilities who acquired an individually adapted tricycle became more physically active, and to map which factors they reported as important for using their tricycle. People with disabilities applying for an adapted leg-driven tricycle participated in this observational study. ActiGraph GT3x accelerometer was worn for 7 days before and after acquiring the adapted tricycle (pre- and post-test). An open-ended question, in a questionnaire described...