Neil R. Lundberg

Influence of adapted sport on quality of life: Perceptions of athletes with cerebral palsy

Purpose. This study sought to examine the effect of adaptive sports participation on athletic identity and influence on quality of life (QOL) for individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) participating in the CP World Games. Method. Surveys were conducted with 73 international athletes competing in the 2005 CP World Championships. The survey included descriptive questions about sport involvement and socio-demographics, the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, and the Influence on Quality of Life Scale. Results. A significant relationship was found between influence on QOL and athletic identity (r = 0.505; p < 0.001). There was a moderate negative correlation between influence of adaptive sport on QOL and severity of disability (r = −0.264, p < 0.05). The majority of the sample either agreed or strongly agreed that adaptive sport positively influenced their overall health (84.9%) quality of life (80.8%), quality of family life (53.4%), and quality of social life (56.1%). Athletic identity (β = 0.54) was the strongest predictor of influence on QOL with severity of disability (β = −0.29) also a significant contributor. These athletes also had significantly higher mean AIMS scores when compared to collegiate non-athletes, collegiate recreational athletes, and recreational athletes with disabilities. Conclusions. The results suggest that participation in adapted sport is related to QOL and athletic identity for individuals with CP. To foster these benefits advocates for persons with disabilities should work toward increasing opportunities to compete in sports.

The Relationship Between Father Involvement in Family Leisure and Family Functioning: The Importance of Daily Family Leisure

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fathers’ involvement in family leisure and aspects of family functioning from both a father and young adolescent perspective. The sample consisted of fathers and their adolescent child from 647 families throughout the United States. Results from both the father and youth perspective indicated significant relationships between father involvement in both core and balance family leisure with family cohesion, family adaptability, and overall family functioning. Satisfaction with core family leisure that included the fathers involvement was the single strongest predictor of all aspects of family functioning from both perspectives highlighting the importance of regularly occurring home-based family activities such as eating dinner together, participating in hobbies and informal sports or yard activities together, watching television together, or playing board games and video games together. Discussion and implications for fathers, families, practitioners, and future research are presented.

Identity negotiating: redefining stigmatized identities through adaptive sports and recreation participation among individuals with a disability.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the meanings and outcomes of adaptive sport and recreation participation among individuals with disabilities. In-depth open-ended interviews were conducted with 17 individuals. Analysis of the data followed qualitative data analysis and classical grounded theory utilizing line by line coding, identification of emergent themes, and identification of a core category grounded in the data. Results indicated that participants felt stigmatized and stereotyped, but their adaptive sports and recreation participation provided them with opportunities to build social networks, experience freedom and success, positively compare themselves with others without disabilities, and feel a sense of normalcy. The core variable identified adaptive sports and recreation participation as an opportunity structure that facilitated the identity negotiating process.

A Critical Examination of Couple Leisure and the Application of the Core and Balance Model

Abstract This study further clarified the relationship between couple leisure involvement, couple leisure satisfaction, and marital satisfaction through examining the core and balance framework as it has been applied to the relationship between couple leisure and marital satisfaction. The sample consisted of 1,187 couples across the United States (N = 2,374). SEM analyses supported previous findings, indicating satisfaction with couple leisure involvement was far more important when predicting marital satisfaction than the amount of leisure involvement. Furthermore, while core marital leisure satisfaction was the driving force in the explanation of variance in marital satisfaction, findings suggested before that can happen there must be participation in both core and balance couple leisure. Additional findings, implications, and recommendations for further research are discussed.

The Relationship between Media in the Home and Family Functioning in Context of Leisure

Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between media-based family leisure and family functioning. Because the sample (n = 500) included responses from parents and children (ages 11 to 16) from each family, mixed models were used to account for family-level and individual-level variance. Findings indicated a negative relationship between media use and family functioning; media connection and parental media monitoring were positively related to family functioning. This was stable over time even when accounting for variance explained by depression, anxiety, conflict, and other demographic variables. The mixed linear model analysis and use of longitudinal data add to existing research. Current findings suggest parental involvement in adolescent media use is the most important factor in explaining variance in family functioning.

Psychological Need Satisfaction through Sports Participation among International Athletes with Cerebral Palsy

Abstract Research indicates that people with disabilities who participate in sports and are physically active rate themselves higher in psychological well‐being. The primary purpose of this study was to observe differences in the satisfaction of psychological needs through sports participation based on ones impairment level. Participants in the study included 50 English‐speaking individuals with cerebral palsy who were 18 years of age or older and who were competing in the 2005 World Cerebral Palsy Championship in New Haven, Connecticut. Descriptive statistics were gathered and a simple one‐way ANOVA was used to test the differences in psychological need fulfillment. Results indicated a significant difference between groups (F(2,48)=4.403, p=.018) with individuals with less significant impairment (M=110.07) scoring significantly lower in need satisfaction through their sports participation than individuals with the highest level of impairment (M=123.67). Findings highlight the potential importance of sports participation, particularly for individuals with higher levels of impairment.

The Mediating Effects of Autonomy, Competence, and Relatedness During Couple Leisure on the Relationship Between Total Couple Leisure Satisfaction and Marital Satisfaction

Abstract This study tested Self-Determination Theory as a possible explanatory framework to understand the relationship between total couple leisure satisfaction and marital satisfaction. The three psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness—fundamental components of Self-Determination Theory—were measured through the Fulfillment of Psychological Needs during Couple Leisure (FPNL) scale and were tested as mediators. The analysis of five structural equation models confirmed the relevance of the Self-Determination Theory in explaining the relationship between couple leisure satisfaction and marital satisfaction. Although autonomy and competence were significant mediators, relatedness consistently appeared as the strongest mediator suggesting that the fulfillment of this psychological need is particularly important for relationship functioning and well-being. Implications to couple leisure are discussed.