Motivation of people with physical disabilities for sports activities participation: A qualitative research

Iako fizička aktivnost doprinosi mentalnom i fizičkom zdravlju, posebice kod osoba s invaliditetom, i dalje je broj osoba s invaliditetom koje sudjeluju u sportskim aktivnostima izrazito malen. Stoga je cilj ovog istraživanja bio ostvariti dublji uvid u motivacijske čimbenike sudjelovanja osoba s tjelesnim invaliditetom u sportskim aktivnostima. U istraživanju je sudjelovalo 46 sudionika, odnosno 31 muškarac i 15 žena s područja Republike Hrvatske, prosječne dobi 36,59 godina. Za ispitivanje motivacijskih čimbenika vezanih uz bavljenje sportom i faktora koji utječu na smisao, cilj i svrhu njihovog života osoba s invaliditetom, putem online ankete postavljeno je ukupno pet pitanja otvorenog tipa. Analizom sadržaja odgovora utvrđeno je da su motivacijski čimbenici koji potiču osobe s invaliditetom na bavljenje sportom najčešće intrinzični motivi, a potom briga o zdravlju i fizičkoj kondiciji, socijalna podrška/uloga te su u najmanjoj mjeri zastupljeni ekstrinzični motivi. Slični motivi identificirani su i za održavanje bavljenja sportom, prvenstveno intrinzični motivi, zatim zdravlje, ekstrinzični motivi, a najmanje socijalna podrška. Kao čimbenici koji pomažu osobama s invaliditetom u sudjelovanju u sportu prepoznati su kvaliteta životne sredine, motivacija, određene individualne karakteristike te višak vremena. Ono što im odmaže prilikom istog, u najvećoj je mjeri neprilagođenost infrastrukture, određene individualne karakteristike, socijalna okolina te zdravstvene poteškoće. Sudionici smisao, cilj i svrhu svog života najviše pronalaze u interpersonalnim odnosima, zatim u pozitivnom stavu prema životu te pozitivnom afektu i životnoj ulozi, a nešto rjeđe u religioznosti i različitim načinima suočavanja sa preprekama. Rezultati su nadalje objašnjeni i raspravljeni unutar Teorije ciljeva postignuća (Nicholls, 1989; Dweck, 2006) i Teorije samodeterminacije (Deci i Ryan, 1985). U radu su istaknuta ograničenja istraživanja kao i praktične implikacije.Physical activity contributes to mental and physical health, especially for people with disabilities. However, an extremely small number of people with disabilities participates in sports activities. Therefore, the main goal of this research was to gain insight into the motivational factors for the sports participation of people with physical disabilities, as well as their experience of the meaning of life. 46 participants, precisely 31 males and 15 females from the Republic of Croatia took part in the research, whose average age was 36.59 years. A total of five open-ended questions that were setted in online survey, were also used to examine motivational factors that are in relation with sports participation and factors that influence the meaning, goal and purpose of life when it comes to people with disabilities. The results show that motivational factors that encourage people with disabilities to play sports are mostly intrinsic motives, followed by health and physical fitness, social support/role, and in the smallest extent extrinsic motives. Similar motives are identified for maintaining their sports engagement, primarly intrinsic motives, then health, extrinsic motives, and least of all, social support. The factors that help people with disabilities participate in sports are the quality of the environment, motivation, cetrain individual characteristics and excess time. What hinders them at the same time, to the greatest extent, is the lack of adaptation of the infrastructure, certain individual characteristics, social environment and the health problems. The participants find the meaning, goal and purpose of their life mostly in interpersonal relationships, in positive attitude towards life and positive affect and role in life, and somewhat less often in religiosity and different ways of coping with obstacles. The results are further explained and discussed within Goal Achievement Theory (Nicholls, 1989; Dweck, 2006) and Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985), as well as the limitations of the research and its practical implications