Participation of persons with intellectual disability in recreation and social activities

Abstract

This research was conducted with the aim to determine the influence of demographic factors and individual characteristics of children and youth with intellectual disability on the extent of their participation in recreation and social activities. Individual characteristics include the following: gender, age, and level of intellectual disability. Parents' education level, family income, parents' employment, and the number of children within a family were analyzed as indicators of family and environmental influence. The sample consisted of 126 examinees, aged between 7 and 18, 69 examinees with mild intellectual disability, and 57 with moderate intellectual disability. Three subscales of the scale Assessment of Life Habits for Children 1.0, LIFE -H, (Fougeyrollas et al., 2002) were used to determine the extent of examinees' participation in recreation and social activities: Fitness, Interpersonal relations, and Recreation. It was determined that there are statistically significant differences in recreation and social activities participation with regard to age, level of intellectual disability, and partially gender, as well as with regard to parents' education level, family income, parents' employment, and the number of children within a family.

Keywords

• free time
• recreation
• interpersonal relations
• intellectual disability