Wilski Maciej, Urbański Piotr, Ossian Roxana, Papp Eniko Gabriela, Bracanovic Milovic Nina, Radovic Ivan, Sedlackova Veronica, Gazova Eva, Sabanovic Nadira, Delic Selimovic Kada, Srdic Velibor, Vukovic Srboljub, Ahmic Damir, Abramaviciute Vaiva, Dabriliene Daiva, Kriskovieciene Ausra, Nadolska Anna
Department of Adapted Physical Activity, Poznan University of Physical Education, Poznan, Poland.
Special Olympics Romania, Bucharest, Romania.
Front Psychol. 2025 Aug 4;16:1632589. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1632589. eCollection 2025.
This study aimed to examine how perceived athlete improvement, perceived barriers to implementation, and selected coaching characteristics are associated with coaches' attitudes toward Unified Sports programs. The investigation focused on understanding the psychological and contextual factors that influence inclusive coaching engagement within a multi-country sample, rather than comparing national differences directly.
A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 102 coaches involved in Unified Sports programs in five European countries. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire assessing their attitudes toward inclusion, perceived improvement in athletes with developmental disabilities and their non-disabled partners, perceived implementation barriers, and personal coaching background. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to identify predictors of coaching attitudes.
Perceived improvement in athletes with developmental disabilities was the strongest and most consistent predictor of positive coaching attitudes. Coaches who reported greater perceived progress in these athletes were more likely to endorse inclusive beliefs. In contrast, perceived improvement in non-disabled partners, although generally rated highly, did not significantly predict coaching attitudes. Interestingly, coaches with prior experience working in disability sports and those with familial relationships to participating athletes expressed more skeptical views, suggesting that emotional involvement or cumulative exposure may introduce attitudinal strain. Although institutional, social, and logistical barriers to Unified Sports were widely recognized by participants, these factors did not independently predict attitudes once other variables were controlled for.
The findings underscore the motivational role of observed progress among athletes with disabilities in shaping coach engagement and suggest that experiential factors such as previous involvement and personal ties may carry unanticipated emotional or structural challenges. These insights point to the importance of designing coach education and support programs that not only promote technical competence but also address emotional resilience and contextual demands. Strengthening these components may enhance the sustainability and effectiveness of Unified Sports initiatives worldwide.
本研究旨在探讨运动员进步感知、实施障碍感知以及选定的教练特征如何与教练对融合运动项目的态度相关联。该调查聚焦于理解影响多国样本中包容性教练参与度的心理和背景因素，而非直接比较国家间的差异。
对五个欧洲国家参与融合运动项目的102名教练进行了横断面调查。参与者完成了一份标准化问卷，评估他们对包容性的态度、对发育障碍运动员及其非残疾伙伴进步的感知、实施障碍感知以及个人教练背景。采用分层多元回归分析来确定教练态度的预测因素。
发育障碍运动员的进步感知是积极教练态度最强且最一致的预测因素。报告称这些运动员有更大进步感知的教练更有可能认可包容性信念。相比之下，非残疾伙伴的进步感知虽然总体评分较高，但并未显著预测教练态度。有趣的是，有残疾运动工作经验的教练以及与参赛运动员有家庭关系的教练表达了更多怀疑观点，这表明情感投入或长期接触可能会带来态度上的压力。尽管参与者广泛认识到融合运动存在制度、社会和后勤障碍，但在控制了其他变量后，这些因素并不能独立预测态度。
研究结果强调了残疾运动员进步感知在塑造教练参与度方面的激励作用，并表明诸如先前参与和个人关系等经验因素可能带来意想不到的情感或结构挑战。这些见解指出了设计教练教育和支持项目的重要性，这些项目不仅要促进技术能力，还要解决情感韧性和背景需求。加强这些方面可能会提高全球融合运动倡议的可持续性和有效性。
