Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://hdl.handle.net/1807/78337

The Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education offers outstanding undergraduate (BKIN) and graduate (MPK, MSc, PhD) degree programs where the cutting-edge research of our faculty members is brought into the classroom.

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Browsing Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education by Author "Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P."

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    Children and youth with impairments in social skills and cognition in out-of-school time inclusive physical activity programs: a scoping review
    (Taylor and Francis, 2019-05-28) Orr, Krystn; Wright, F. Virginia; Grassmann, Viviane; McPherson, Amy C.; Faulkner, Guy E.; Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P.
    Children and youth with impairments in social skills and/or cognition face many barriers to community participation specifically physical activity (PA) (e.g., limited staff training). Inclusive PA settings may provide opportunities for children and youth with and without impairments to engage together and promote physical and social skill development. The purpose of this scoping review was to critically evaluate the literature on out-of-school PA programs (i.e., non-curriculum programming) that included children and/or youth with impairments in social skills and/or cognition. A keyword search of seven databases followed by eligibility screening led to ten articles for this scoping review. For each included study, two research team members independently extracted and synthesized the data, and appraised the study reporting quality using the published quality assessment tool (QATSDD). Experts' evaluation of the research literature was obtained. Ten studies, which varied from low to high reporting quality, collectively addressed the following outcomes, with all showing mixed impacts: anthropometrics and fitness; motor and sport skills; psychological well-being; and socialization. Experts suggested routes forward for research and practice including longitudinal designs and programming variety to meet individual needs. Out-of-school PA programs that include children and/or youth with impairments in social skills and/or cognition provide an opportunity to improve multiple areas of health and wellness. However, limited high-quality research has been conducted to-date. Further evaluation of program effectiveness is warranted.
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    Igniting Fitness Possibilities: a case study of an inclusive community-based physical literacy program for children and youth
    (Taylor and Francis, 2017-12-15) Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P.; Boross-Harmer, Alex; Leo, Jennifer; Allison, Archie; Bremner, Ron; Taverna, Franco; Sora, Dave; Wright, F. Virginia
    Widespread concerns about lack of inclusive physical activity programs for children and youth with medical conditions and disabilities prompted our research team to partner with stakeholders to develop a community-based initiative called Igniting Fitness Possibilities (IFP). This case study describes the systematic process and experiences of our research team and community partners in developing and implementing IFP. Key results from the session evaluations within the first three IFP pilots are shared to illustrate how this implementation evaluation guided program refinement. Overall, positive evaluations were received from the children, youth and staff related to the content and delivery of the IFP curricula across the three pilots. Many of the implementation strategies mentioned by staff to be successful aligned with the underlying conceptual framework of the IFP program (e.g. emphasis of teamwork and ‘fun’). Suggested program modifications were minimal and primarily focused on adaptations made to the equipment, instruction style and/or rules.
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    A pragmatic approach to measuring physical literacy and behavioural outcomes in youth with and without disabilities
    (Taylor and Francis, 2022-06-13) Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P.; Bremer, Emily; Leo, Jennifer; Wright, F. Virginia
    This study used a pragmatic measurement approach to examine changes in physical literacy (PL) and physical activity (PA) behaviour outcomes associated with a community-based PL program for youth with and without disabilities. A single group, pre-post study was conducted with 67 youth (68.7% male; 62.7% with a disability; 12.2 +/-1.7 years) participating in a 16-week, inclusive PL program offered across three community sites. Valid, age-appropriate outcome measures were completed at baseline and post-program. Gains were found in movement competence (Cohen’s dz=0.99; n=46), overall self-regulated motivation (dz=0.29; n=43), confidence (dz=0.15 to 0.21; n=43), and minutes spent in moderate PA behaviour (dz=0.83; n=20). Peer relationships ratings (n=35) indicated strong social support, and mean weekly attendance was 78.5% (n=62). Findings provide evidence of gains in PL, particularly motor competence, and PA behaviour outcomes associated with PL program participation in youth with and without disabilities.
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    Recreational sport programs for emerging adults with disabilities: A scoping review
    (Taylor and Francis, 2019-10) Orr, Krystn; Tamminen, Katherine A.; Evans, M. Blair; Arbour-Nicitopoulos, Kelly P.
    Purpose: Recreational sport programs are a critical but overlooked pathway for enhancing social participation of emerging adults with disabilities. Specifically, the experiences of recreational sport program members is important for continued community engagement among emerging adults. To address this gap, this scoping review examined the published studies on recreational sport programs for emerging adults with disabilities with the aim of providing future directions for practice (e.g., program instruction) and research (e.g., measurement). Method: Using the PRISMA-SR guidelines, six electronic databases were searched using key terms of disability, age, and recreational sport; findings were extracted and summarized according to the quality parasport participation framework (autonomy, belonging, challenge, engagement, mastery, meaning) and other outcome measures of the included studies. An online 26-item survey was sent to the included studies’ authors to further explore the programs’ conditions. Results: There were 16,818 records screened with seven articles included. Studies indicate positive outcomes for emerging adults with disabilities immediately following participation in sport programs (e.g., improved self-esteem, autonomy, friendship skills, and balance). No longitudinal studies have been conducted on sustained participation in sport programs or transfer effects of participation. Conclusion: Despite the limited literature, this scoping review provides the foundation for the development of evidence-informed, participant-driven sport programs for emerging adults with disabilities. This study highlights areas for further development for both research (e.g., evaluating and reporting quality) and practice (e.g., program evaluation).