Physical Literacy for Adults with a Physical Disability

By Grace Stirling, University of Sterling

This blog shares the findings and implications of a recent undergraduate project which aimed to provide an understanding of what physical literacy means and looks like to adults with a physical disability. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA, Smith, Flowers & Larkin, 2022) and the Socio-ecological Model (McLeroy et al.’s 1988), this study used the voices and lived experience of disabled people to provide a valuable and much-needed insight into physical literacy for the physically disabled population.

Background

In Scotland, only 49% of disabled people meet the physical activity guidelines compared to 79% of the non-disabled population (Scottish Government, 2023). Research points to physical literacy as an approach to engaging everyone in physical activity throughout life (Coates, 2011; Farrey and Isard, 2015; Jurbala, 2015; Pushkarenko, Dunn and Wohlers, 2021). Likewise, recent research by the Observatory for Sport in Scotland called for future research to improve the understanding of physical literacy for the disabled population (Davison et al., 2023).

Viewed as a lifelong journey (Whitehead, 2010), physical literacy is “the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life” (IPLA, 2017). Despite claims that physical literacy is fundamentally inclusive (Dugas, 2016; Whitehead, 2010), physical literacy for disabled people remains under-researched (Pushkarenko, Dunn and Wohlers, 2021). Furthermore, it is argued that the current practitioner understanding and application of physical literacy for the disabled population is insufficient to make long-lasting change to the development of PL for the disabled population and their physical activity levels. To positively develop an individual’s physical literacy throughout their life, it is important to understand the experiences of the people that are being targeted (Sport NZ, n.d.).

Key Findings

Through semi-structured interviews with each participant, participants shared various experiences and perspectives related to what physical literacy means and looks like to them (see figure 1).

Figure 1: What the individual domains of physical literacy mean and look like to adults with a physical disability.

Additionally, the study identified three themes which reflect how the participants understand and experience physical literacy:

The participants’ accounts revealed how their different understandings of physical literacy were developed through various sport and physical activity experiences. This echoes the unique and individual nature of Whitehead’s (2010) physical literacy philosophy. The findings emphasised the need to step away from a one-size-fits-all solution to understanding and developing physical literacy. Participants shared how person-centred approaches provides them with feelings of belonging and achievement and feeling like they mattered.

Interestingly, while previous research argued that there is too great a focus on the physical domain of physical literacy in existing research contributing to ableist physical literacy practices, physical competence was the most prominent domain discussed by disabled participants. Central to the participants’ experiences was that physical competence was unique and individual to each of them. While this study acknowledges the value of a holistic approach as advocated by Cornish et al. (2020), its findings on physical competence highlight the importance of not overlooking the domain or dismissing it as purely ableist.

Participants described the life-long effects of having limited sport and physical activity experiences as a child. While there is no existing research on the relationship between previous physical activity experience and the development of physical literacy for disabled people, Elsborg et al.’s (2021) research on this relationship for non-disabled adults support my study’s findings. Previous experience helped the participants feel more confident and competent in participating in sport and physical activity as an adult and this highlights the importance of providing opportunities for disabled children.

Implications

While my study supported many existing arguments presented in physical literacy research, it provided a unique perspective on physical literacy through the experiences of disabled people.

Based on the findings, 4 recommendations are presented:

All practitioners adopt unique person-centred approaches in their work.
Practitioners change the way they view physical competence.
Physical literacy for disabled people needs to be part of physical literacy education and training.
Research into the current physical activity participation of disabled children in Scotland is an ongoing need.

These recommendations are based on a small group of participants with a physical disability. The purpose of the study was never to generate generalisable conclusions for the whole disabled population, but instead I provide insight into the experiences and perspectives of adults with a physical disability related to PL which could be used to inform future actions.

Final Thoughts

With the recent introduction of the new Active Scotland Outcome “More People, More Active, More Often” (Scottish Government, 2024), tackling physical inactivity remains a key priority of the Scottish Government and therefore it is essential that policies, practices and interventions are inclusive to ensure that disabled people and other vulnerable group are neither forgotten nor left behind. Every practitioner in physical education, sport and physical activity could support the development of physical literacy in those they work with to help contribute to a healthy and active Scottish population.

If you would like to discuss this content, then please do get in touch: Grace Stirling – grace.stirling03@gmail.com

Reference List

Coates, J. (2011) ‘Physically fit or physically literate? How children with special educational

needs understand physical education’, European Physical Education Review, 17(2),

pp.167-181. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/1356336X11413183

Cornish, K., Fox, G., Fyfe, T., Koopmans, E., Pousette, A. and Pelletier, C.A. (2020)

‘Understanding physical literacy in the context of health: a rapid scoping

review’. BMC public health, 20, pp.1-19. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-

020-09583-8

Davison, R.C.R., McPherson G., Carlin, L. and Lumsdaine, G. (2023) Understanding

Disability Sport in Scotland. Observatory for Sport in Scotland. Available at:

https://oss.scot/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Understanding-disability-in-sport-Aug-

23-spreads.pdf [Accessed: January 2025].

Dugas, E. (2016) Levelling the Playing Field: Assessing Physical Literacy in Children and

Youth with Physical Disabilities. Brock University. Available at:

https://dr.library.brocku.ca/bitstream/handle/10464/10973/Brock_Dugas_Erica_2017.

pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y [Accessed: January 2025].

Elsborg, P., Heinze, C., Melby, P.S., Nielsen, G., Bentsen, P. and Ryom, K. (2021)

‘Associations between previous sport and exercise experience and physical literacy

elements among physically inactive Danes.’ BMC Public Health, 21, pp.1-10.

Available at: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-11299-2

Farrey, T., and Isard, R. (2015) Physical literacy in the United States: A model, strategic

plan and call to action. The Aspen Institute. Available at:

https://www.aspeninstitute.org/publications/physical-literacy-model-strategic-plan-

call-action/ [Accessed: February 2025]

International Physical Literacy Association (IPLA) (2017) Available: https://www.physical-

literacy.org.uk/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1Yy5BhD-

ARIsAI0RbXbQcW7jHoaO44oFr-

J1abxJRqpO4JSz12QackqjvZ2Xin1fxH_oKrkaAkr_EALw_wcB [Accessed: January

2025].

Jurbala, P. (2015) ‘What Is Physical Literacy, Really?’, Quest, 67(4), pp. 367–383. Available

at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2015.1084341

McLeroy, K.R., Bibeau, D., Steckler, A. and Glanz, K. (1988) ‘An ecological perspective on

health promotion programs.’ Health education quarterly, 15(4), pp.351-377. Available

at: https://doi.org/10.1177/109019818801500401

Pushkarenko, K., Dunn, J.C. & Wohlers, B. (2021) ‘Physical literacy and inclusion: A

scoping review of the physical literacy literature inclusive of individuals experiencing

41disability’, Prospects 50, pp.107–126. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-

020-09497-8

Smith, J.A., Flowers, P., Larkin, M. (2022) Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis:

Theory, Method and Research. 2nd edn. London: SAGE.

Sport New Zealand (Sport NZ) (n.d.) Physical Literacy Approach. Available at:

https://sportnz.org.nz/resources/physical-literacy-

approach/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAABNFZrZfnBvSWFbZcOi5FEiWgygsY&gcl

id=Cj0KCQjwzYLABhD4ARIsALySuCRrDtGJmEnQyQbIN5utjY9WOL__lzUByN1gM

o7lv_uIEeRZsfZFqXsaAu9VEALw_wcB [Accessed: March 2025].

The Scottish Government. (2023) Scottish Household Survey 2022: Key findings, Scottish

Government. Available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-household-

survey-2022-key-findings/pages/7/ [Accessed: February 2025].

The Scottish Government (2024) Physical Activity for Health: Scotland’s National Framework.

Available at:

https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-

guidance/2024/10/physical-activity-health-framework/documents/physical-activity-

health-scotlands-national-framework/physical-activity-health-scotlands-national-

framework/govscot%3Adocument/physical-activity-health-scotlands-national-

framework.pdf [Accessed: January 2025]

Whitehead, M. (2010) Physical Literacy: Throughout the Lifecourse. 1st edn. London:

Routledge.