Project summary
The benefits of participation in parasport are widely recognized. In order to achieve these benefits, we need to understand how athletes think about quality experiences in parasport, and how to foster these quality experiences in a parasport context. As such, this study had two main objectives: (1) to explore what quality participation means for athletes with a physical disability, and (2) to examine the conditions that foster quality participation throughout athletic development. To meet these objectives, we used a narrative approach – that is, we examined the common themes and plotlines of stories told by athletes about their participation in parasport. Five distinct narratives of participation were identified, representing unique pathways of athlete development and meanings of quality participation in parasport. The narratives are useful for informing strategies and programmes that optimize participation and enhance participation rates, which may in turn have an impact on the performance and personal development of parasport athletes. Such strategies may also contribute to successful recruitment and retention efforts targeting (prospective) athletes in the parasport system.
Research methods
Participants included 21 male and female athletes with a physical disability (congenital or acquired). As a whole, the participants had experience participating in a range of individual and team parasports, from recreational to elite levels. Each participant took part in a two-part life history interview, which involved (1) constructing a physical timeline of their parasport involvement and (2) reflecting on the quality of their experiences in parasport over time, using the timeline as a guide. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a narrative approach. In other words, we examined common stories told by the participants and the effects of these stories on their past, present, and future participation in parasport.
Research results
Five distinct narratives of participation were identified among the parasport athletes who were interviewed, representing different pathways of athlete development and meanings of quality participation in parasport. The narratives reflected three common stories told by athletes more broadly within sport culture (Douglas & Carless, 2006): performance (i.e., “I couldn’t be successful without sport being the most important thing in my life”), discovery (i.e., “Sport was the conduit for me to be in different worlds”), and relational (i.e., “I played my heart out for someone else”). The narratives were further distinguished based on characteristics such as the athletes’ gender, disability type, and specific meaning or value associated with participation in parasport (e.g., social acceptance; sense of purpose; independence and autonomy; (re-)discovering sense of self or identity; confidence and success; fun and enjoyment). Aligning with these values, the narratives supported six elements of quality participation, which had previously been identified in the literature more broadly focused on societal participation among individuals with disabilities. These six elements included: Autonomy, Belongingness, Challenge, Engagement, Mastery, and Meaning (Martin Ginis, Evans, Mortenson, & Noreau, 2016). In the parasport context, these elements were found to be diverse, dynamic, and fluid over time. Additionally, when participants felt equal and valued within the parasport environment, the effects of these elements were often amplified. Taken together, these findings have important practical implications at various organizational levels – from the structure and tailoring of parasport programming to the messages about parasport that are conveyed through promotional campaigns and advertising.
Limitations: These findings reflect the perspectives of 21 parasport athletes, as interpreted by the research team. An alternative interpretation may have been constructed had the research team or the sample of participants been different. However, given the expertise of the research team and the diversity of the sample, we feel that these findings are robust. The composition of the resulting narratives represents broad themes and patterns from across a diverse sample of athletes, including men and women of various ages, disability types, and levels of experience in (para)sport. While it was our intention to represent these diverse perspectives, more individual tailoring may be necessary before applying these results to a particular demographic group or parasport.
Policy implications
With the aim of enhancing sport participation for Canadians with physical disabilities, this research offers a number of important implications. In practical terms, narratives of participation in parasport offer unique perspectives on athlete development and what it means for athletes to participate. Narratives that challenge or expand the dominant discourse may appeal to a broader range of people than narratives that reinforce the prevailing school of thought (i.e., the “superhuman” para-athlete). With the aim of getting more people physically active or engaged in parasport, for example, these narratives could be used by public health agencies or parasport organizations to create messages or campaigns that promote a holistic view of participation. These messages may also be an important medium for raising awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting inclusivity among the general population. Additionally, people with physical disabilities – whether new to parasport or seasoned athletes – may be more likely to sustain participation in parasport if organizations and practitioners are able to foster elements within the parasport experience (i.e., autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery, and meaning) that support feelings of equality and value in a contextually appropriate manner. Using these strategies, we may work towards two important aims: (1) increasing the number of people who participate in parasport, and (2) enhancing the quality of participation for those who do – ultimately contributing toward sustained participation in the long-term.
Next steps
By expanding understandings of the narratives available for people with disabilities, as well as the individuals and organizations that support them, we may address both the quantity and quality of participation in parasport. It is important to stress that we are not prescribing a particular way of thinking about parasport participation; rather, we are expanding the menu of narrative resources from which past, present and future athletes may choose. In doing so, we would like to open up avenues for further discourse on the topic of parasport participation. Provided that the participants interviewed for this study largely conformed to the traditions and values of contemporary Western culture, future research may expand this conversation to include culturally diverse representations of parasport participation. Furthermore, research targeting specific demographic groups or parasport activities may aid in grounding these narratives within the contexts most relevant to programs or organizations that support those groups or activities. From a human rights perspective, many athletes may be unaware of the extent of ableism that exists in parasport. Promoting alternative participation narratives may build awareness and challenge oppression with the aim of achieving full and effective participation in sport (and society) for all.
Key stakeholders and benefits
The following organizations may benefit from these findings:
- Canadian Paralympic Committee
- National parasport organizations
- Provincial parasport organizations
- Municipal parasport organizations (e.g., grassroots clubs)
Specifically, these findings offer key insights into two main issues: (1) fostering quality parasport programs in a contextually-appropriate manner, and (2) disseminating promotional messages that appeal to a broad range of people with disabilities in order to promote parasport participation. The results of this study may be useful for parasport organizations – from grassroots clubs to the national level – when it comes to developing and evaluating the quality of programs for athletes with disabilities. At a broader level, organizations or groups that disseminate messages about parasport (e.g., promotional materials, media campaigns) may benefit from an understanding of the different types of narratives that are circulated through such messages, and the potential impact on recruitment and retention of parasport athletes.