Getting to yes: Differences between sport actors, intenders and non-intenders with acquired physical disabilities

Abstract

Approximately 3% of individuals with acquired physical disabilities currently participate in sport. This study compares those currently involved in sport (actors), those considering joining a sport in the future (intenders) and those with no interest in sport (non-intenders) on HAPA and athletic identity constructs to determine important group differences in these sport determinants. Participants were 201 individuals with acquired physical disabilities (M_age=44.0+12.8; M_{years post-injury}=16.2+11.5).Age, years post-injury, mode of mobility and sex were included as covariates in a significant MANCOVA, F(13, 177 ), p<.001. Actors and intenders expressed higher affective outcome expectancies for sport (p<.001), perceived similarity to athletes (p<.001) and more positive evaluations of athletes than non-intenders (p<.05). Both intenders and non-intenders expressed lower levels of task and scheduling self-efficacy, as well as intentions to engage in sport during the next two weeks than actors (p<.001). Significant differences between groups for athletic identity, barrier self-efficacy and action planning (p<.001) were found; intenders endorsed these constructs more than non-intenders, yet they also expressed less self-efficacy and planning than actors. No significant differences were found for instrumental outcome expectancies (p=.12) or risk perceptions of sport (p=.18). These results suggest that for intenders it may be particularly important to target multiple types of self-efficacy and planning that support sport behaviour as opposed to affective attitudes or prototype similarity. Messages for non-intenders should target all aspects of the HAPA as well as identity constructs.

Acknowledgments: Research supported by the Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)