Natalia Morgulec-Adamowicz *, Andrzej Kosmol ** and Wojciech Otrębski ***
(*) Department of Adapted Physical Activity, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland
(**) Department of Sports for Individuals with Disabilities, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education, Warsaw, Poland
(***) Institute of Psychology, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
Citation
Morgulec-Adamowicz, N., Kosmol, A., Otrębski, W. (2011). The effect of sports participation on the intensity of psychosocial problems of males with quadriplegia in Poland. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 42(3), 307-320.
Abstract
The main purposes of the study were (1) to evaluate the influence of sport participation on the intensity of psychosocial problems in males with quadriplegia, and (2) to determine the range of psychosocial problems encountered by physically active and sedentary individuals with quadriplegia, respectively. The Witkowski Psychosocial Problems Spinal Cord Injury Scale (PP-SCI) was used to assess the intensity of psychosocial problems among 35 physically active and 36 sedentary individuals with quadriplegia. The t-test analysis showed significantly higher values of mean global score (t = -4.13, p = .000) for the sedentary than for the physically active group. In addition, significantly higher scores were found in relation to four spheres of personality (t = -3.69, p = .000), family (t = -3.94, p = .000), social contacts (t = -3.75, p = .000) and occupational (t = -3.67, p = .000). This suggests that individuals with quadriplegia who are regularly involved in sport, are likely to experience less psychosocial problems than sedentary males with quadriplegia.
Keywords: Psychosocial problems, Quadriplegia, Sport participation, Wheelchair rugby