Research Impact: Parent support is recognized as a critical determinant of physical activity among all children, particularly for those with disabilities. To date, however, instruments to measure parental support for physical activity fail to reflect the multidimensionality of this construct. To facilitate research on the specific types of parental support that may influence physical activity of children with disabilities, this article presents the findings from a study that sought to develop a new questionnaire to measure support for physical activity in parents of children with disabilities. The instrument was developed based on a systematic review of the literature, expert consultations, and testing of the instrument with parents (n = 210) of children with various disabilities.
The new questionnaire (Parental Physical Activity Support in Parents of Children with Disabilities [PPSQ for PCD]) consists of three constructs: Encouragement for physical activity; Co-participation in physical activity; and Logistical support for physical activity. The final model includes 12 items (four items in each construct), which revealed an excellent model fit.
Ku, B., Healy, S., & Yun, J. (2023). Development of a survey measuring parental physical activity support in parents of children with disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation, 45(16), 2660-2667. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2022.2089921
Dr. Sean Healy, Associate Professor of Physical Activity and Sport Participation, Policy and Practice. Email: Sean.healy@ul.ie
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