Prof Jan Burns & Dr Clare Watts

Self-esteem and participation in the Special Olympics

‘In 170 countries, Special Olympics enriches the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through the power of sport.’

3.5 million members

Potential life experience for people with ID

• Obesity/under weight• Untreated sensory deficits• Untreated physical illnesses e.g. diabetes• Very low fitness• Low health literacy• Etc.

Poor physical health

Poor psychological health

Economically poor

Potential life experience for people with ID

Poor physical health

• High levels anxiety• High levels depression• High levels serious mental health problems• Increased likelihood dementia

Poor psychological health

Economically poor

Potential life experience for people with ID

Poor physical health

Poor psychological health

•V

• Very low income• High unemployment• Socially isolated• Educational opportunities low• Poor housing etc.

Economically poor

What we know about the impact of sport is....

Physical• Fitness• Disease

resilience

Social• Social

networks• Increased

activity

Affective• Alleviates

anxiety & depression

• Increases self-esteem etc.

Cognitive• Increased

attention• Increased

learning

Given we know that people with ID are vulnerable to all sorts of problems that research has shown can be alleviated by sports participation........ what does research tell us about the involvement of people with ID in sports?

Under researched

Area Example papers

Attitudes to ID Townsend & Hassall (2007); Freudenthal,. Boyd & Tivis (2001)

Intervention – behavioural psychosocial

Jones, Walley, Leech, Paterson, Common, & Metcalf (2007); Ninot & Maıäno (2007); Weiss, Diamond, Demark & Lovald (2003)

Intervention – physical health

Moss S. (2009); Marks, Sisirak, Heller, & Wagner (2010)

Health screening McCracken, Lumm & Laoide-Kemp (2011)

Family Weiss & Diamond (2005)

Participation Robertson & Emerson (2010); Gillespie (2008)

Methodology Peterson, Peterson, Lowe & Nothwehr (2009)

Reviews Hutzler & Korsensky (2010); Bartlo &. Klein (2011)

Research Aims

• Comparison study• UK based• Looking specifically at

psychosocial differences• Self-esteem• Stress• Social networks• Life Opportunities

Psychosocial impact of involvement in the Special Olympics UK

Special Olympics

(N 40)

MencapNo sport (N 34)

Mencap Sport (N 20)

MatchedgenderIQ (WASI)Opportunity (Life Experiences Checklist)Sport = 1 hour+ organised activity a week

MeasuresVariable Measure

IQ WASI (Wechsler, 1997) 2 subtest form

Opportunity Life Experiences Checklist (Ager, 1990)

Self-esteem Rosenberg Self-esteem Measure (Rosenberg, 1965)

Stress Life Stress Inventory (Bramston & Bostock, 1994)

Social Networks

Social Support Self Report (Lunsky & Benson, 1997)

Findings1. Groups were comparable, except on age

where SO and Mencap Sport were younger (mean SO, 32.5; Mencap sport 30.5, No sport, 42)

2. Self esteem and LEC positively were significantly correlated

3. Multiple regression analysis - to see if group membership predicted controlling for Life Experience Checklist (opportunity)

Model

Self Estee

m

Social network

s

Stress

Life opportunities

Physical and psychological well-being

Findings

• Of the three groups only the Special Olympics group was predictive of higher levels of self-esteem

• Suggests there is something additional to playing sport that the Special Olympics offers

Future Research

• Longitudinal studies needed to strengthen evidence base

• How effective exercise regimes might be adapted

• This troublesome thing called IQ

• People with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome

• Thank youAny questions?

Acknowledgements This project was supported by a grant from SO US, volunteer research assistants, Special Olympics UK and Mencap