Physical Activity Types Favored by Students with Developmental Disabilities: A Converging Study based on Q Methodology

The purpose of this consumerism-theory-based study was to explore the types of physical activities favored by students with developmental disabilities using Q methodology.

This study used based on a small sample, of less than 30 participants. A total of 27 students with developmental disabilities who were aged between 13 and 18 years, attended special classes at regular schools, and lived in Y city participated in the study. The subjects were classified into 25 physical activity cards developed for this study, and their preference types were analyzed through QUANL pc program.

The results are as follows. First, students with developmental disabilities preferred four types of physical activities. Second, the characteristics of these four types were as follows: peer-centered (first type), family-centered (second type), music-centered (third type), and competition-centered (fourth type).

Moreover, these results indicate that students with developmental disabilities are interested in various types of physical activities, and favor a variety of activities types depending on their background characteristics.