Developing a Model of Barriers to Participation of Women with Physical-Movement Disabilities in Team Sports and its Relationship with Participation Motivation

The aim of this study was to develop a model of barriers to participation of women with physical-movement disabilities in team sports and its relationship with participation motivation. The methodology was correlational (structural equations). The statistical population consisted of female athletes with physical-movement disabilities in Iran who were active in two sport fields: para-volleyball and basketball with wheelchair and 300 subjects were selected by stratified sampling method. In order to collect data, the researcher-made Barriers to Participation Questionnaire and Hong Yong Lin (2010) Participation Motivation Questionnaire were used. The proposed model was presented by a review of related literature and theoretical foundations. After the qualitative steps, the final model factors were identified based on the experts’ viewpoints. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were performed and the factors were identified. Structural equation modeling was used to develop the model. The results showed that the model fit indices supported the strong desirability of the model, and the final model consisting of individual, physical, psychological, managerial, economic, media support, coaching role, cultural-religious, attitudes of others and social support was introduced. There was a causal relationship between psychological, managerial, media support, economic, attitudes of others and participation motivation, and there was no causal relationship between individual, structural, coaching role, social support, cultural-religious and participation motivation. The findings of this study suggest more effective planning to remove barriers so that the motivation to participate in women with physical-movement disabilities can increase.