Development and Validation of a Barriers to Physical Activity Scale for Adults with Visual Impairments

AbstractResearch indicates that individuals with visual impairments tend not to meet the physical activity guidelines for health promotion. Existing literature has identified barriers to physical activity as having the potential to impact the physical activity engagement of this population. Most studies of barriers to physical activity among populations with visual impairments have used instruments developed for other groups. However, scholars within the field of adapted physical activity recommended the development and use of instruments designed to address the needs and characteristics of specific disability groups. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop and validate a brief scale designed to measure the magnitude of barriers to physical activity for use among adults with visual impairments. The instrument was developed in four phases: (a) item development, (b) content validity, (c) exploratory factor analysis, and (d) confirmatory factor analysis. Factor analyses yielded 12 items across three barrier factors (i.e., accessibility, personal, and transportation). The Barriers to Physical Activity for Adults with Visual Impairment scale is a valid and reliable measure of barriers to physical activity for this population.

Source: Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities - January 5, 2021 Category: Disability Source Type: research