European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity, 2011 (vol. 4), issue 1
THE EFFECT OF A PHYSICAL TRAINING PROGRAMME ON FLEXIBILITY OF UPPER BODY AND TRUNK IN VISUALLY IMPAIRED AND DEAF-BLIND PERSONS
Airi Surakka, Tero Kivelä
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 4, 7-21 (2011) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2011.001 
Optimal twist of the trunk, shoulder rotation and reciprocal arm swings are necessary for good balance and gait. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a multidimensional physical training programme on flexibility of the upper body and trunk in visually impaired and deaf-blind persons. Participants were assigned randomly to the experimental and the control group. Fifteen participants (12 visually impaired and three deaf-blind, mean age 55 years, SD 9.0) completed the 5-6-week long physical training programme (three 60-minute sessions per week). The control group consisted of 14 participants (nine visually impaired and five deaf-blind,...
ATTITUDES OF IN-SERVICE PHYSICAL EDUCATORS TOWARD TEACHING CHILDREN WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN GENERAL PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES IN CYPRUS
Ioanna Fournidou, Martin Kudlacek, Christina Evaggelinou
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 4, 22-38 (2011) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2011.002
Over the last two decades the idea of inclusion of students with special educational needs (SEN) in general schools has become increasingly the focus of Inclusive education in Cyprus. The passage of new laws mandating school inclusion, the new educational physical education curriculum as well as the attention that has been given to physical education teachers' training, are significant changes towards school inclusion. The aim of this study was to identify the attitudes, and predictors of attitudes, of in service Cypriot secondary school physical education teachers towards the inclusion of students with physical disabilities in general physical education...
PHYSICAL SELF-CONCEPT AND SELF-ESTEEM IN ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS WITH AND WITHOUT PHYSICAL DISABILITY: THE ROLE OF SPORTS PARTICIPATION
Stefano Scarpa
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 4, 38-53 (2011) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2011.003
The present study aims to investigate the role of physical activity and sports participation on physical self-concept and self-esteem in adolescents and young adults with and without physical disability. The participants were 1149 individuals aged between 13 and 28 (578 boys and 571 girls). They were divided into four groups: (A) without disability who practised sport (n = 742), (B) without disability who did not practise sport (n = 264), (C) physical disabled who practised sport (n = 109), (D) physical disabled who did not practise sport (n = 34). The participants completed the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ; Marsh, Richards, Johnson,...
PSYCHOSOCIAL ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND FITNESS IN SPECIALPOPULATION, MINORITY MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN.
Martin J. Jeffrey, Nate McCaughtry, Ann Murphy, Sara Flory, Kimberlydawn Wisdom
European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity 4, 54-68 (2011) | DOI: 10.5507/euj.2011.004
Special-population research predicting physical activity (PA) and fitness with minority middle school children from at-risk environments is rare. Hence, the purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the ability of important social cognitive and environment-based measures to predict PA and fitness with children with developmental delay, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Children (N = 89, ages 11-15) completed questionnaires assessing social cognitive and environment-based constructs, self report PA, and completed fitness testing. Correlational results supported some hypotheses. The descriptive and correlational results also indicated commonalities...