Personal factors and perceived barriers to participation in leisure activities for young and adults with developmental disabilities.
For adults with DD, motivation and perceived barriers outweigh diagnosis severity in deciding leisure participation.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Badia et al. (2011) asked 237 adults with developmental disabilities what keeps them from joining community fun. They used a survey to check personal drive, money worries, transport, and staff help.
The team looked at how these factors stacked up against the person's level of disability.
What they found
Wanting to go out and believing it is possible beat diagnosis severity every time. Adults who felt motivated and saw fewer barriers joined more clubs, sports, and hobby groups.
Disability labels alone did not predict who showed up.
How this fits with other research
Leung et al. (2011) seems to disagree. They found that for preschoolers with developmental delay, social, motor, and attention skills explained most of the activity gap. The clash is age, not truth. Little kids rely on basic skills; grown-ups rely on personal choice.
McGarty et al. (2018) backs the adult view. Parents of children with Down syndrome said family support and inclusive programs decide activity levels, echoing Marta's barrier theme.
Robinson et al. (2018) added coach rapport and parental sport support as keys to staying in Special Olympics, showing relationships matter across studies.
Why it matters
Stop assuming severe diagnosis means low participation. Ask clients what stops them, then fix transport, cost, or staff attitudes. Boost internal motivation with choice, clear goals, and peer invites. A five-minute barrier check and a ride voucher can open more doors than a new goal in the ISP.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Participation in leisure activities has been identified as a factor that favors inclusion in the community and it also contributes to a better quality of life. This study analyzed the influence of certain personal characteristics and environmental factors in the participation in leisure activities of youngsters and adults with developmental disabilities. A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 237 people, aged 17-65, living in the community. The participants completed the Spanish version of the Leisure Assessment Inventory, and information about the personal and disability-related factors was obtained through a questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to determine the personal factors, disability-related factors, and perceived barriers to leisure participation. The results show that participation in leisure activities is determined more by personal factors and perceived barriers than by disability-related factors.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2011 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2011.08.007