Children's beliefs toward cooperative playing with peers with disabilities in physical education

Adapt Phys Activ Q. 2010 Apr;27(2):127-42. doi: 10.1123/apaq.27.2.127.

Abstract

Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991) was used to elicit salient behavioral, normative, and control beliefs of children without disabilities toward playing with a hypothetical peer with a disability in general physical education. Participants were 350 elementary and middle school students who completed two questionnaires. Questionnaires were assessed for content validity. Participants provided more affective (68%) than instrumental (32%) responses for favorable behavioral beliefs and more instrumental (76%) than affective (24%) responses for unfavorable beliefs. Peer social pressure was prevalent in favorable (69%) and unfavorable (99%) responses. Social pressure significantly varied across five grades, chi-squared(4, N = 448) = 40.51, p < .01. Participants responded many factors in the class would positively (76%) or negatively (89%) influence the behavior.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Age Factors
  • Attitude*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Child
  • Cooperative Behavior*
  • Disabled Persons / psychology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mainstreaming, Education / organization & administration
  • Male
  • Peer Group*
  • Physical Education and Training / organization & administration*
  • Play and Playthings / psychology*
  • Sex Factors
  • Social Perception
  • Surveys and Questionnaires