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With the UN-CRPD, access to inclusive sport for people with intellectual disabilities improved, but yet those people still remain a marginalized group facing exclusion in sport (Steiger et al., 2021). Despite intensified research, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of inclusive settings and its promoting factors is still lacking. Thus, this study aims to contribute by analysing the social participation of children with intellectual disabilities in mainstream school and club sports and the factors influencing it. This knowledge is crucial for developing inclusive sport with strong social participation of people with intellectual disabilities.
Applying the framework of Koster et al. (2012), a sample of 1861 students of 109 schools (3nd to 6th grade) in Switzerland conducted a standardised questionnaire composed of established instruments. For the 132 children with different intellectual disablities, that are part of the sample, adapted interviews were spefically developed.
Multi-level analysis reveal that the childrens’ level of social participation depends on their experienced social contacts and interactions, established relation- und friendships, and received social acceptance and perception. In terms of effectiveness, overall, the level of participation is constantly lower than those of their non-disabled peers – nevertheless, cases with high levels were observed, too. These dimensions are influenced by factors at a structural level (e.g., design of lessons, trainers’ and teachers’ competencies, group climate, schools’ and clubs’ conditions) as well as by factors at the individual level (e.g., e.g., childrens’ and trainers’ attitudes and competencies).
The specific understanding of factors correlating with the dimensions of social participation supports practitioners to develop inclusive sport settings more effectively.
