Participation in sport and physical activity in adults with intellectual disabilities.
Australian adults with ID are only half as active as the general population—screen for mobility and vision, then use error-reduced teaching to get them moving.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Bellon-Harn et al. (2020) asked adults with intellectual disability about sport and exercise.
They compared answers to the general Australian population.
The survey looked at who joined teams, gyms, or walked for fun.
What they found
Only 42 out of every 100 adults with ID were active. The general rate was 71.
People who had trouble walking were less likely to join in.
Those in supported housing were more likely to play.
How this fits with other research
Austin et al. (2015) saw the same gap in kids. Children with ID scored lower on fitness tests at every age.
Capio et al. (2013) showed one fix: cut practice errors. Kids who learned to throw with fewer mistakes played more on their own.
Warburg (2001) adds another barrier. Many adults with ID also have untreated vision loss. Poor sight plus poor mobility stack the odds against sport.
Why it matters
You can close the gap. Check for vision and walking problems first. Then use error-reduced teaching, small groups, and invite support staff to join. These steps turn the low 42 % into a goal you can beat.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add one 10-minute error-reduced ball-toss game to your next group session
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability face a number of barriers to participation in physical activity. This paper aimed to determine rates of sport and physical activity participation in an Australian sample of adults with intellectual disability, compared with rates of participation in the general Australian population. A secondary aim was to investigate factors that may contribute to participation of adults with intellectual disability. METHOD: Participants were part of the Australian Child to Adult Development (ACAD) study, consisting of a community sample with intellectual disability (n = 305), groups of adults with autism (n = 94), Down syndrome (n = 64), fragile X syndrome (n = 52), Williams syndrome (n = 45), and Prader-Willi syndrome (n = 30). Participation in sport/physical activity was reported over the past 3 months. Rates of participation were reported for adults with intellectual disability and compared with rates in a general Australian population sample. The relationship between participation in physical activity and age, degree of intellectual disability, physical mobility, living situation, socio-economic disadvantage, and behaviour and emotional problems were also conducted. RESULTS: Participants in the ACAD community sample with intellectual disability participated in sport/physical activity at lower rates than the general Australian population (42% compared with 71%). Having no physical mobility impairment was significantly associated with higher rates of participation. Those with Down syndrome participated in sport/physical activity at higher rates than the community sample with intellectual disability, while no difference in sport/physical activity participation was observed in the groups with autism or other syndromes. CONCLUSION: Australian adults with intellectual disability participate in sport and physical activity at lower rates than the general population. Having a physical mobility impairment was associated with lower rates of participation. However, people living in supported accommodation were more likely to participate than those in other living situations. Having Down syndrome was associated with a higher participation rate than the community sample.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2020 · doi:10.1111/jir.12782