Social Functioning and Self-Esteem in Young People with Disabilities Participating in Adapted Competitive Sport

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate social functioning quality of life and self-esteem in young people with disabilities taking part in adapted competitive sport.

Method: A sample of 496 athletes (mean age 16 years 4 months, range: 9 years to 20 years 9 months) was obtained from the 540 participants (91.8%) involved in a French national championship. The main outcome measurements were a social functioning inventory (PedsQL 4.0 social functioning) and a self-esteem inventory in physical areas (physical self inventory 6 PSI-6).

Results: The mean PedsQL SF score was 74.6 (SD: 17.7). Comparisons of PedsQL SF according to gender, age, self mobility and training revealed no significant differences between the groups. PedsQL SF was weakly but significantly correlated with all subscales of the PSI-6 in the total population. PSI-6 scores were significantly different between boys and girls, with better self-esteem for boys on general self-esteem (7.7 vs. 6.9, p=0.018), physical condition (6.8 vs. 6.0, p=0.023) and attractive body subscores (6.5 vs. 5.1, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Social functioning scores were significantly higher in this population than in the samples of young people with disabilities available in the literature. Interactions between self-concept, social functioning quality of life and participation in adapted sport activities require further studies.

Key words

quality of life - self-esteem - child - adapted sport - disability - social functioning

References

• 1 Appleton PL, Minchom PE, Ellis NC. et al . The self-concept of young people with spina bifida: a population-based study.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 1994;  36 198-215
• 2 Bjornson KF, Belza B, Kartin D. et al . The relationship of physical activity to health status and quality of life in cerebral palsy.  Pediatr Phys Ther. 2008;  20 247-253
• 3 Darrah J, Wessel J, Nearingburg P. et al . Evaluation of a community fitness program for adolescents with cerebral palsy.  Pediatr Phys Ther. 1999;  11 18-23
• 4 Davis E, Shelly A, Waters E. et al . Measuring the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy: comparing the conceptual differences and psychometric properties of 3 instruments.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2010;  52 174-180
• 5 Dykens EM, Rosner BA, Butterbaugh G. Exercise and sports in children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. Positive physical and psychosocial effects.  Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 1998;  7 757-771 vii.
• 6 Fox K, Corbin C. The Physical Self Perception Profile: Development and preliminary validation.  J Sport Exercise Psychol. 1989;  11 408-430
• 7 Garrison W, Felice ME. Adolescence, In: Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics fourth edn. 2009: 62-73
• 8 Groff DG, Lundberg NR, Zabriskie RB. Influence of adapted sport on quality of life: perceptions of athletes with cerebral palsy.  Disabil Rehabil. 2009;  31 318-326
• 9 Harter S. The perceived competence scale for children.  Child Development. 1982;  53 87-97
• 10 Harter S. Processes underlying the construction, maintenance, and enhancement of the self-concept in children.  In e. P. p. o. t. s. Suls JG (ed.), Earlbaum, London 1986;  137-181
• 11 Liu W Y, Hou YJ, Wong AM. et al . Relationships between gross motor functions and health-related quality of life of Taiwanese children with cerebral palsy.  Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2009;  88 473-483
• 12 Livingston MH, Rosenbaum PL, Russell DK. et al . Quality of life among adolescents with cerebral palsy: what does the literature tell us?.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007;  49 225-231
• 13 Maïano C, Morin A, Ninot G. et al . A short and very short form of the physical self-inventory for adolescents: Development and factor validity.  Psychology of sport and exercice. 2008;  9 830-847
• 14 Muraki S, Tsunawake N, Hiramatsu S. et al . The effect of frequency and mode of sports activity on the psychological status in tetraplegics and paraplegics.  Spinal Cord. 2000;  38 309-314
• 15 Ninot G, Bilard J, Sokolowski M. Athletic competition: a means of improving the self-image of the mentally retarded adolescent?.  Int J Rehabil Res. 2000;  23 111-117
• 16 Ninot GF, Delignières MD. A psychometric tool for the assessment of the dynamics of the physical self.  Eur J Appl Psychol. 2001;  51 205-216
• 17 O’Donnell W. Adolescent self-reported and peer-reported self-esteem.  Adolescence. 1979;  14 465-470
• 18 World Health Organization .Measuring Quality of Life: The Development of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument (WHOQOL). Division of Mental Health Organization. Geneva, Switzerland; 1993
• 19 Rosenbaum PL, Livingston MH, Palisano J. et al . Quality of life and health-related quality of life of adolescents with cerebral palsy: what does the literature tell us?.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007;  49 225-231
• 20 Russo RN, Goodwin EJ, Miller MD. et al . Self-esteem, self-concept, and quality of life in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.  J Pediatr. 2008;  153 473-477
• 21 Shields N, Loy Y, Murdoch A. et al . Self-concept of children with cerebral palsy compared with that of children without impairment.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2007;  49 350-354
• 22 Shields N, Murdoch A, Loy Y. et al . A systematic review of the self-concept of children with cerebral palsy compared with children without disability.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2006;  48 151-157
• 23 Tassi F, Schneider BH, Richard JF. Competitive behavior at school in relation to social competence and incompetence in middle childhood.  Revue Internationale de Psychologie sociale. 2001;  14 165-184
• 24 US Department of Health and Human Services .With understanding and improving health and objectives for improving health. Healthy people 2010. Washington (DC): Government Printing Office; 2000
• 25 Vargus-Adams J. Health-related quality of life in childhood cerebral palsy.  Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2005;  86 940-945
• 26 Varni JW, Burwinkle TM, Berrin SJ. et al . The PedsQL in pediatric cerebral palsy: reliability, validity, and sensitivity of the Generic Core Scales and Cerebral Palsy Module.  Dev Med Child Neurol. 2006;  48 442-449
• 27 Varni JW, Limbers CA, Burwinkle TM. Impaired health-related quality of life in children and adolescents with chronic conditions: a comparative analysis of 10 disease clusters and 33 disease categories/severities utilizing the PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scales.  Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2007;  5 43
• 28 Verschuren O, Ketelaar M, Gorter JW. et al . Exercise training program in children and adolescents with cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial.  Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007;  161 1075-1081
• 29 Young N, Rochon T, McCormick A. et al . The health and quality of life outcomes among youth and young adults with cerebral palsy.  Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010;  91 143-148

Correspondence