Abstract
Background: Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID) have low levels of physical activity (PA). Understanding factors influencing the PA participation of this population is essential to the design of effective interventions. The purposes of this study were to identify and map the barriers and facilitators of PA participation among children and adolescents with ID. Methods: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with established methodology. Articles were evaluated for relevance using predetermined inclusion criteria in eight databases. Extracted barriers and facilitators were classified using the social ecological model as individual, interpersonal, or environmental factors. Results: Thirty-two studies published between 1992 and 2020 were included (24 quantitative, 6 qualitative, and 2 mixed-method). Thirty-four factors were identified. The most commonly reported barriers included disability-specific factors, low self-efficacy, lack of parental support, inadequate or inaccessible facilities, and lack of appropriate programs. The most commonly reported facilitators included high self-efficacy, enjoyment of PA, sufficient parental support, social interaction with peers, attending school physical education (PE) classes, and adapted PA programs. Conclusions: Continued exploration of factors influencing PA participation is required among children and adolescents with ID. Future interventions should involve families, schools, and wider support network in promoting their PA participation together.
Highlights
Physical activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure [1] and is characterized by its modality, frequency, intensity, duration, and context of practice [2]
Despite the physiological and psychological health benefits associated with PA participation, previous studies reported that children with intellectual disabilities (ID) did not meet the PA guideline of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) per day [7,8,9]
The primary question to be addressed through this scoping review was “What are the barriers to PA and facilitators of PA participation among children and adolescents with ID?”
Summary
Physical activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure [1] and is characterized by its modality, frequency, intensity, duration, and context of practice [2]. Environmental barriers exist, such as limited access to facilities and recreation areas, inaccessible sports and fitness equipment, and little knowledge of staff in adapting games and sports for children with disability, resulting in their limited PA participation [14]. This population is at greater risk of low levels of PA and increased rates of overweight, obesity, and chronic health conditions [14,15,16,17]. The most commonly reported barriers included disability-specific factors, low self-efficacy, lack of parental support, inadequate or inaccessible facilities, and lack of appropriate programs. Future interventions should involve families, schools, and wider support network in promoting their PA participation together
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