A Focused National Review of the Sport and Exercise Psychology Literature for Athletes with Disabilities

Abstract

In this paper, researchers examine the relative presence of articles within core Sport and Exercise Psychology (SEP) journals in the US from 2009-2019 which pertain specifically to athletes with disabilities. Primary objectives included identifying primary research and practice articles, associated national publication trends, the types of articles and methodologies being published, and salient gaps in the SEP literature. Originally, researchers identified eight journals (n = 2,071 articles) representative of SEP organizations within the US. Subsequent search processes yielded a final sample of articles (n=25). The final sample of articles represented 1.21% of the articles in the identified journals during this period, indicating a relative paucity of publications within these journals with a focus on athletes with disabilities. The articles are further summarized in terms of practical implications and inherent methodologies and findings. Ideas are discussed to enhance representation of these athletes in future scholarly works and publications in these outlets.

Keywords: athlete with disability, disability, hidden disability, adapted sport, Paralympics

How to Cite:

Rights: Christopher T. Stanley, Lauren H.K. Stanley