Title: Experiences and perceptions of youth with spinal cord injury and parents on physical activity participation
Supervisor: Dr. Andrea Bundon
Committee members: Dr. Brian Wilson, Dr. Janice Forsyth
Abstract: Adolescence is a critical period when youth, with or without spinal cord injuries (SCI), form self-concepts, attitudes, and behaviours that shape their adult lives. Physical activity (PA) can serve as a powerful social vehicle for this development and to promote overall health while mitigating secondary health complications linked to SCI. However, youth with SCI often lead highly sedentary lifestyles due to the plethora of physical, social, attitudinal, organizational and institutional barriers that hinder their access to PA. Parental support has been identified as one of the strongest correlates to PA participation among youth with disabilities. Parents play a crucial role in addressing the challenges their child faces by offering resources for meaningful participation in organized sport and PA that prioritize accessibility and adaptability. Despite this, little attention has been given to how PA experiences of both parents and youth influence participation among youth with SCI. As PA facilitators and key influencers, parents significantly impact their child’s development and well-being. Therefore, parents’ experiences and perceptions must also be noted as they provide their youth with access to sport and PA. In situating this study in critical disability studies (CDS) through a constructionist lens, the purpose of the proposed research is to: a) understand how society, culture, and power dynamics shape youth and parents’ experiences and perceptions of PA participation across diverse PA settings (e.g., recreational activities, sports, exercise, fitness (structured and unstructured); and b) contribute to the literature on the socio-cultural aspects of disability and PA to inform policy change and inclusive PA program development. Critical inquiry will allow for an in-depth understanding of the subjective experiences of PA among youth with SCI and their parents, while also exploring sociocultural influences to share comparable stories for families engaging in PA with disabilities.