Self-efficacy of physical education teachers in including students with cerebral palsy in their classes.
PE teachers feel least confident including students with CP who use wheelchairs—targeted adapted-PE training closes that gap.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team sent a short survey to PE teachers. They asked, "How confident are you to include a child with cerebral palsy in your class?"
Teachers rated kids who walk alone versus kids who use a wheelchair or walker. The survey also asked about years of experience and any adapted-PE training.
What they found
Teachers felt much less confident when the student used a wheelchair or walker. A little extra training and more years on the job helped, but the gap stayed large.
How this fits with other research
Xie et al. (2026) asked the same question to general-ed teachers in China. They found that strong principal support and short in-service workshops raised teacher confidence for all disabilities. The PE teachers in Yeshayahu’s study lacked that top-down help, so the low scores line up.
Doughty et al. (2002) also used the same self-efficacy survey with teacher trainees. Religious trainees scored higher than secular peers, showing that personal background matters. Yeshayahu adds that the child’s mobility level matters just as much as teacher traits.
Huang et al. (2013) showed that motor severity and school supports predict how well kids with CP actually join class activities. Low teacher confidence in Yeshayahu’s data may partly explain why those supports are often missing.
Why it matters
If you consult in schools, ask the PE teacher to list every aid the student will need before the first class. Offer a 30-minute micro-training on wheelchairs, walkers, and simple rule tweaks. One short prep session can lift confidence and keep the child from sitting on the sidelines.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Children with cerebral palsy (CP) are often mainstreamed into the general education system, but are likely to be excluded from physical education (PE) classes. A questionnaire was constructed and utilized to measure PE teachers' self-efficacy (SE) toward inclusion of students with CP in each of three mobility categories (independent, using assistive devices, using wheelchair mobility) and the impact of experience and training on teachers' SE. Participants in the study were 121 PE teachers from different parts of Israel (mean age: 41.02±9.33 years; range: 25.00-59.00 years). Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the structure of the sub-scales' factors' structure and Cronbach's Alpha reliability was satisfactory (range 0.872-0.941). Independent t-tests were calculated in order to compare the SE of teachers with and without adapted PE experience. Repeated Analysis of Variance was performed to measure within-group differences in SE. Results revealed that the PE teachers' SE in teaching students who use mobility assistive devices or wheelchairs was significantly lower compared to teaching those who walk and run unaided (F=19.11; p<0.001). The teachers' SE towards including CP children who independently ambulate was influenced (p<0.05; d=0.94) by the teacher's experience (elementary school practicum). SE in the mobility with assistive device group was also significantly influenced (p<0.05; d=0.1) by teaching experience (previous experience and having a specialization in adapted PE). Finally, SE when teaching the wheelchair mobility group was influenced by having an adapted PE specialization (p<0.05; d=0.82). Specialized training in this particular area should be enhanced to increase teachers' SE and enable greater participation of children with CP in general physical education classes.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2017 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2017.07.005