Psychological factors of parental physical activity support among parents of children with disabilities: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Parents of children with disabilities often encounter challenges when supporting their child's physical activity (PA). Research on the psychological factors influencing parental support for PA has produced mixed results. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to a) synthesize psychological factors associated with parental support for PA, and b) evaluate the moderators of the association between parental support for PA and these psychological factors.

METHODS

Following PRISMA guidelines, this meta-analysis reviewed peer-reviewed English articles on parental support for children with disabilities (ages 0-18) from January 2009 to February 2022, with updates in February 2024. We searched six databases-PubMed, CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and CENTRAL-and applied four statistical methods (Egger's regression, Duval and Tweedi's Trim and Fill, Classic Fail-safe N, and Begg's test) to assess study bias.

RESULTS

Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria, showing a medium association (r = .41, 95% CI [.28 - .50], p < .001) between parental PA support and psychological factors in parents of children with disabilities. Psychological constructs and child's age were not significant moderators. No publication biases were detected.

CONCLUSION

Limitations include the use of convenience samples and the lack of disability type as a moderator. Future research should address these gaps. Emphasizing parental intentions, parental PA, and self-efficacy can enhance parental support for PA in children with disabilities, promoting their PA engagement.