The Relationship between Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity and Life Satisfaction among University Students with Disabilities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70577/asce.v5i2.897Keywords:
P´hysical activity, perceived barriers, Disability, University students, Life satisfactionAbstract
Introduction: University students with disabilities may face intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and community barriers that limit their participation in physical and sport activities, which may be related to their life satisfaction. Objective: To analyze the relationship between perceived barriers to physical activity and life satisfaction among university students with disabilities. Methodology: A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and correlational study was conducted with 80 university students with disabilities from the Technical University of Machala. The Spanish short version of the Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments (BPAQ-MI) and the Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS) were administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, Spearman’s rho correlations, principal component analysis, and MANOVA. Results: Life satisfaction was negatively and significantly associated with intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational barriers, whereas community barriers showed no significant association. In addition, differences according to type of disability were observed in intrapersonal barriers and life satisfaction. Conclusion: The findings suggest that higher perceived barriers to physical activity are associated with lower levels of life satisfaction among university students with disabilities, highlighting the need to strengthen accessible and inclusive university environments that support physical activity participation.
Downloads
References
Abilkassimova, G., Baigabylov, N., Chernova, O., Litvinov, A., & Koneeva, E. (2025). Improving academic outcomes through accessible physical activity for students with disabilities. Retos, 67, 1202–1115. https://revistaretos.org/index.php/retos/article/view/113639/83426
American Psychological Association. (2017). Ethical principles of psychologists and code of conduct. https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/
Ascondo J, Martín-López A, Iturricastillo A, Granados C, Garate I, Romaratezabala E, Martínez-Aldama I, Romero S, Yanci J. Analysis of the Barriers and Motives for Practicing Physical Activity and Sport for People with a Disability: Differences According to Gender and Type of Disability. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 11;20(2):1320. 10.3390/ijerph20021320
Atienza, F., Pons, D., Balaguer, I. y García-Merita, M. (2000). Propiedades Psicométricas de la Escala de Satisfacción con la Vida en Adolescentes. Psicothema, 12(2), 314-319. https://www.psicothema.com/pi?pii=296
Devine, M. (2016). Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Experiences of College Students With Disabilities. Adapt Phys Activ Quarterly, 33(2), 176-94. doi: 10.1123/APAQ.2014-0241. PMID: 27078271. DOI: 10.1123/APAQ.2014-0241
Diener, E., Emmons, R. A., Larsen, R. J., & Griffin, S. (1985). The Satisfaction With Life Scale. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49(1), 71–75. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4901_13
Elipe-Lorenzo P, Diez-Fernández P, Ruibal-Lista B and López-García S (2025) Barriers faced by people with disabilities in mainstream sports: a systematic review. Front. Sports Act. Living 7:1520962. https://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2025.1520962
Fernández, J., Montenegro, M., & Fernández, J. (2022). Access and Participation of Students with Disabilities: The Challenge for Higher Education. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 11918. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191911918
Fultz, C., Nussbaum, R., Schroth, S., Tuakli-Wosornu, Y. & Schroeder, A. (2024). Document analysis of adaptive sport opportunities at Division-1 universities in the United States. Disability and Health Journal, 17(4), 101646, ISSN 1936-6574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2024.101646.
Haegele, J. & Sutherland, S. (2015). Perspectives of Students with Disabilities toward Physical Education: A Qualitative Inquiry Review. Quest, 67(3), 255–273. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2015.1050118
Liu, X., Han, H., Li, Z., Huang, Z., Zhao, Y., Xiao, Q. & Sun, J. (2025). Barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for students with disabilities in an integrated school setting: a meta-synthesis of qualitative research evidence. Frontiers Public Health, 13, 13:1496631. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2025.1496631
Mohammad, I., Aultan, F., Adnan, S. & Abdullah, E. (2020). Barriers to physical activities of college students with disabilities. Management Science Letters, 10, 3339–3346. https://www.growingscience.com/msl/Vol10/msl_2020_181.pdf
Monforte J, Úbeda-Colomer J, Pans M, Pérez-Samaniego V, Devís-Devís J. Barreras y facilitadores ambientales para la actividad física entre estudiantes universitarios con discapacidad física: un estudio cualitativo en España. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 8 de enero de 2021;18(2):464. 10.3390/ijerph18020464
Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2020). Promoting well-being. World Health. https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-well-being
Pans, M., Úbeda-Colomer, J., Monforte, J., & Devís-Devís, J. (2021). Physical activity and accomplishment of recommendations in university students with disabilities: A longitudinal study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(11), 5540. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115540
Pozo, A., Ferreira, C., & González-Rodríguez, D. (2023). Inclusión y accesibilidad al deporte en personas con discapacidad en la Educación Superior. Revista Electrónica Interuniversitaria de Formación del Profesorado, 26(3), 29–43. https://doi.org/10.6018/reifop.570571
Rodríguez, S. y Ferreira, M. (2010). Diversidad funcional: Sobre lo normal y lo patológico en torno a la condición social de la discapacidad. Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales, 28(1), 151-172. https://revistas.ucm.es/index.php/CRLA/article/view/CRLA1010120151A/32218
Rosero, M. (2023) Beneficios de la práctica de actividad física deportiva en personas con discapacidad física. Revista científica especializada en ciencias de la cultura física y del deporte, 20(1) ,152-172. https://deporvida.uho.edu.cu/index.php/deporvida/article/view/898
Tarantino, G., Makopoulou, K. & Neville, R. (2022). Inclusion of children with special educational needs and disabilities in physical education: A systematic review and meta-analysis of teachers’ attitudes. Educational Research Review, 36, 100456. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2022.100456.
Úbeda-Colomer, J., Devís-Devís, J., & Sit, C. H. P. (2019). Barriers to physical activity in university students with disabilities: Differences by sociodemographic variables. Disability and Health Journal, 12(2), 278-286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2018.11.005
Úbeda-Colomer, J., Peiró-Velert, C. y Devís-Devís, J. (2018). Validación de una versión reducida en español del instrumento Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments [Validation of a short Spanish version of the instrument Barriers to Physical Activity Questionnaire for People with Mobility Impairments.]. Salud Publica Mex, 60(5), 539-548. Spanish. doi: 10.21149/8541. PMID: 30550115. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30550115/
Zayed, M., Moustafa, M., Elrayah, M., & Elshaer, I. (2024). Optimizing Quality of Life of Vulnerable Students: The Impact of Physical Fitness, Self-Esteem, and Academic Performance: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia Universities. Sustainability, 16(11), 4646. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16114646
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Jostyn Snayder Aguilar-Bermeo, Davinia Salomé Palacios Lucero , Rosa Marianela De Los Dolores Salamea Nieto, Wilson Javier Rojas Preciado
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Eres libre de:
- Compartir : copiar y redistribuir el material en cualquier medio o formato
- Adaptar : remezclar, transformar y desarrollar el material
- El licenciante no puede revocar estas libertades siempre y cuando usted cumpla con los términos de la licencia.
En los siguientes términos:
- Atribución : Debe otorgar el crédito correspondiente , proporcionar un enlace a la licencia e indicar si se realizaron cambios . Puede hacerlo de cualquier manera razonable, pero no de ninguna manera que sugiera que el licenciante lo respalda a usted o a su uso.
- No comercial : no puede utilizar el material con fines comerciales .
- CompartirIgual — Si remezcla, transforma o construye sobre el material, debe distribuir sus contribuciones bajo la misma licencia que el original.
- Sin restricciones adicionales : no puede aplicar términos legales ni medidas tecnológicas que restrinjan legalmente a otros hacer algo que la licencia permite.
