View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Parents' Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Parents' Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities
Language: English
Authors: Moore, Adam M., Clapham, Emily D., Deeney, Theresa A.
Source: International Journal of Disability, Development and Education. 2018 65(3):304-317.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 14
Publication Date: 2018
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: Disabilities, Parent Attitudes, Qualitative Research, Interviews, Caregiver Attitudes, Student Participation, Physical Therapy, Therapeutic Recreation, Barriers, Program Effectiveness, Summer Programs, Aquatic Sports, Children
DOI: 10.1080/1034912X.2017.1400660
ISSN: 1034-912X
Abstract: This qualitative study was designed to understand parents' perceptions of their children's participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme in the United States. Ten parents and one caregiver were interviewed about theirs and their children's experience in the surf programme. Parent discussions centred on the child, parent/caregiver, instructor and challenges of parenting. Results indicate that parents perceive surf therapy to positively impact their child physically, socially and behaviourally. Findings also suggest cost, an inclusive, family-centred approach and opportunities for socialisation with other families were important to parents' satisfaction.
Abstractor: As Provided
Number of References: 42
Entry Date: 2018
Accession Number: EJ1173026
Database: ERIC
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
    Url: https://content.ebscohost.com/cds/retrieve?content=AQICAHj0k_4E0hTGH8RJwT4gCJyBsGNe_WN95AvKlDbXJGqwxwE7_vsxBZuvQhU6dSyGykaKAAAA4zCB4AYJKoZIhvcNAQcGoIHSMIHPAgEAMIHJBgkqhkiG9w0BBwEwHgYJYIZIAWUDBAEuMBEEDLNY5EY7EyUR97ef-gIBEICBm-LYRyxBTByA3DHC8Vv85iFnunrZhSdJjjTa7tW62uDOj1yNjNwCHM_cKFG5Az03HlFNEUbkYJ-vp_NTix7p6UmHp9pGit8vFIKWQLdy1OOeDWIUn642n9a10UaN-tLXDPO3UwYPXYuHt-X5CZWIlnzEr1b4kDxGAg3zAs50AprI0xbPjWLt-ZzNBXTD-t1CFH2dmNBNHKFT56Ob
Text:
  Availability: 1
  Value: <anid>AN0128484768;54q01may.18;2018Mar16.13:02;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0128484768-1">Parents’ Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities </title> <p>This qualitative study was designed to understand parents’ perceptions of their children’s participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme in the United States. Ten parents and one caregiver were interviewed about theirs and their children’s experience in the surf programme. Parent discussions centred on the child, parent/caregiver, instructor and challenges of parenting. Results indicate that parents perceive surf therapy to positively impact their child physically, socially and behaviourally. Findings also suggest cost, an inclusive, family-centred approach and opportunities for socialisation with other families were important to parents’ satisfaction.</p> <p>Disability; guardians; inclusion; parents; surfing; surf therapy; qualitative; youth with disabilities</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-2">Introduction</hd> <p>Participation in organised sports and recreational activities has been shown to have numerous benefits to physical fitness (Dahan-Oliel, Shikako-Thomas, & Majnemer, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref1">8</reflink>] ; Murphy, Carbone, & Council on Children with Disabilities, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref2">27</reflink>] ; Pan, [<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref3">31</reflink>] ), socialisation skills (McConkey, Dowling, Hassan, & Menke, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref4">24</reflink>] ; Shapiro & Martin, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref5">36</reflink>] ) and overall well-being (Dahan-Oliel et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref6">8</reflink>] ). For children with disabilities, who have a greater risk of obesity than their non-disabled peers, physical activity is particularly important (Rimmer, Yamaki, Lowry, Wang, & Vogel, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref7">35</reflink>] ). Yet, opportunities for youth with disabilities to participate in fitness and activity programmes, whether for leisure, recreation or competition, are limited (Murphy et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref8">27</reflink>] ; Okagaki, Diamond, Kontos, & Hestenes, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref9">29</reflink>] ; Rimmer, Riley, Wang, Rauworth, & Jurkowski, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref10">34</reflink>] ).</p> <p>Recently, surfing programmes have emerged as potentially positive, inclusive fitness programmes for children and youth with disabilities (e.g. Surfers’ Healing, Disabled Surfers Association of Australia, International Surfing Association Adaptive Surfing Competition). Research demonstrates surfing is high intensity and aerobic, which is consistent with recommendations for cardiovascular fitness and health (Bravo, Cummins, Nessler, & Newcomer, [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref11">3</reflink>] ; Mendez-Villanueva & Bishop, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref12">25</reflink>] ). Additionally, some data suggest health and fitness benefits of surfing for children and youth with disabilities (Armitano, Clapham, & Lamont, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref13">2</reflink>] ).</p> <p>For students with disabilities, gaining access to any kind of physical activity necessitates parent or caregiver involvement. King et al. ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref14">18</reflink>] ) found parents of children with physical disabilities to be vital in obtaining access to a sport or recreational activity for their child. Parents may be concerned about barriers to their children’s participation (An & Goodwin, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref15">1</reflink>] ), as well as safety and social concerns (Siebert, Hamm, & Yun, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref16">38</reflink>] ), which may be particularly salient for an activity like surfing, which parents might feel is dangerous. Moreover, parents serve as a voice for their child with disabilities, who may not be as able to convey feelings about a physical activity experience. After conducting a metaanalysis on inclusion in physical education (PE), Qi and Ha ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref17">33</reflink>] ) report, ‘More research is required to explore the perspectives of parents of students with and without disabilities in order to obtain a better understanding of the experiences of students with disabilities in inclusive PE’ (p. 270). Therefore, we undertook this study to understand parents’ perceptions of their children’s participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-3">Literature Review</hd> <hd id="AN0128484768-4">Physical Fitness</hd> <p>A startling number of United States (US) children and adolescents are obese or physically inactive (Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref18">28</reflink>] ). To improve physical fitness and health, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control ([<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref19">5</reflink>] ) recommended that children participate in 60 min of aerobic, muscle strengthening or bone strengthening activity each day, and complete each type of activity three times a week. Despite the benefits of physical activities for children with disabilities, which included minimised deconditioning, optimised physical functioning and enhanced overall well-being (Murphy et al., [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref20">27</reflink>] ), these children were found more restricted in their participation, had lower fitness levels and higher obesity levels than their able-bodied peers (Rimmer et al., [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref21">35</reflink>] ). Nationwide, 25.6% of persons with a disability reported being physically inactive, compared to 12.8% of those without a disability. This limited participation puts them at risk for secondary health problems later in life (Fragala-Pinkham, Haley, & O’Neil, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref22">13</reflink>] ; Hayden, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref23">16</reflink>] ).</p> <p>Several physical fitness benefits are noted for children with disabilities fortunate to have access to sports or recreational activities outside of school. In a thematic analysis of relevant research, Dahan-Oliel et al. ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref24">8</reflink>] ) reported that studies demonstrated that individuals with disabilities who participated in recreational activities and sports experienced an overall positive impact on physical well-being, including changes in stamina and task-specific skills required for a sport. Pan ([<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref25">31</reflink>] ) found that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who participated in a 14-week adapted aquatics programme improved motor skills, muscular strength and aquatic skills. Additionally, studies have suggested improvement in sensory regulation after participating in adapted aquatics (Dumas & Francesconi, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref26">9</reflink>] ; Getz, Hutzler, & Vermeer, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref27">14</reflink>] ; Vonder Hulls, Walker, & Powell, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref28">41</reflink>] ). Armitano et al. ([<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref29">2</reflink>] ) found that a therapeutic surf programme showed various health and physical fitness benefits for children and youth with disabilities, such as muscular endurance, core and upper body muscular strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-5">Social Interactions</hd> <p>Individuals with disabilities have been shown to have greater social isolation (Emerson & McVilly, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref30">11</reflink>] ; Orsmond, Shattuck, Cooper, Sterzing, & Anderson, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref31">30</reflink>] ), difficulty forming meaningful relationships (Emerson & McVilly, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref32">11</reflink>] ; Shapiro & Martin, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref33">36</reflink>] ), and anxiety over social interactions (Mazurek & Kanne, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref34">23</reflink>] ). Since participating in a sport or recreational activity requires social interaction, this nuanced verbal and non-verbal communication can pose difficulty and stigma for some individuals with disabilities (Cherney, Lindemann, & Hardin, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref35">6</reflink>] ). For example, Orsmond et al. ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref36">30</reflink>] ) found that children with ASD showed less social interaction and participation than students with an intellectual disability, emotional disability or learning disability (LD). Likewise, in a study of three students with disabilities in an inclusive PE programme, Place and Hodge ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref37">32</reflink>] ) found that, although the students engaged in PE activities, almost no social interaction occurred between them and their non-disabled peers.</p> <p>Students with disabilities may require more structure to interact with others and feel included. In their study of inclusive PE programmes, Butler and Hodge ([<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref38">4</reflink>] ) noted that, without directed effort, typical activities in PE programmes were ‘not structured specifically to promote social interactions or favourable attitudes toward classmates with disabilities and, in fact, on some occasions may have limited opportunities for students to engage in appropriate and meaningful social behaviors’ (p. 8). Other research supports that youth with disabilities benefit from structured activities that promote the social interactions required in many sports and recreational activities (Dahan-Oliel et al., [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref39">8</reflink>] ; Shapiro & Martin, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref40">36</reflink>] ). McConkey et al. ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref41">24</reflink>] ), investigating Unified Sports in five European countries, found that the programme, pairing youth with intellectual disabilities with peers without disabilities, showed positive impacts on social and personal development for both groups.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-6">Access to Sports and Recreational Activities</hd> <p>Despite the benefits of physical activity, families of children with disabilities face difficulty accessing sports and recreational activities for their children (Shields & Synnot, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref42">37</reflink>] ). Some families report that their communities do not offer outside recreational activities for children with disabilities (King et al., [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref43">19</reflink>] ). In communities that do offer such activities, families face a myriad of challenges. They report that cost and availability can prohibit their children with disabilities from participating meaningfully in sports outside of school (Egilson, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref44">10</reflink>] ; Kleinert, Miracle, & Sheppard-Jones, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref45">20</reflink>] ). Additionally, lack of inclusive programmes is problematic (Shields & Synnot, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref46">37</reflink>] ).</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-7">Parent Perceptions</hd> <p>Parents play a tremendous role in their children participating in recreational activities and sports. King et al. ([<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref47">18</reflink>] ) found that parental involvement in recreational activities had a significant impact on the success of their child’s participation. Mactavish and Schleien ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref48">22</reflink>] ) found that families of children with disabilities who participated in recreational activities together had better coping strategies for stress and more positive self-perceptions. However, parents of children with disabilities have reported feeling isolated, stressed and frustrated when seeking services for their children (Hayes & Watson, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref49">17</reflink>] ; Lessenberry & Rehfeldt, [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref50">21</reflink>] ). Prior negative experiences may colour parents’ perceptions. King et al. highlighted the important role that service providers play in engaging families. Stoner et al. ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref51">39</reflink>] ) found that parents of children with ASD needed to have ‘frequent, open, and honest communication’ with education professionals to feel informed of their child’s progress, particularly since their children had difficulty communicating (p. 45), and that parents were more trusting of teachers who were positive versus teachers who displayed negative attitudes.</p> <p>Since surfing has potential benefits to physical health and well-being of students with disabilities, it is important to investigate experiences of those who participate in surfing programmes. Additionally, because parents access, evaluate and decide upon services for their children with disabilities, it is important to understand their perceptions of programmes in which their children participate. Here, we seek to understand parents’ perceptions of their children’s participation in a therapeutic surf programme. Specifically, we seek to understand the following research questions:</p> <p>How do parents describe their and their child’s participation in a theraputic surf programme?</p> <p>What, if any, benefits of a therapeutic surf programme do parents describe?</p> <p>How do parents describe their interactions with instructors in a theraputic surf programme?</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-8">Method</hd> <hd id="AN0128484768-9">Programme Description</hd> <p>The theraputic surf programme is an eight-week summer programme held at a community beach. Each child with a disability is paired one-on-one with an instructor for 60-min sessions twice per week. Instructors are university students in health/physical education and kinesiology who are interested in teaching PE/adapted PE, or in physical therapy. Instructors receive training on programme goals, skills and optimal learning style of each child to encourage maximum progression and participation (Clapham, Armitano, Lamont, & Audette, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref52">7</reflink>] ). Programme goals have participants progressing from paddling a surfboard to balancing (laying, sitting, kneeling, standing), catching a wave and riding it into shore (laying, sitting, kneeling, standing), and paddling back out through the waves unassisted. Within those, instructors set individual goals for children, based on pre-fitness assessment results and children’s individual pace of learning. Skills are first practiced in a large group, then child and instructor practice skills on land before moving into the ocean. All children and youth are provided wetsuits to use during the programme.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-10">Participants</hd> <p>The surf programme director emailed families of children enrolled in the programme during summers of 2015/2016 (n = 65), explaining the study and requesting parent participation. The programme director also followed up with parents as they brought their children to the surf programme. Fifteen parents agreed to be interviewed. These parents represented children with a wide range of disabilities (Table 1 provides a description of participating parents and their children.). All parents read and signed informed consent materials approved by the University’s Institutional Review Board prior to participating. Of the 15 parents who agreed to interviews, 10 parents and one caregiver were able to schedule and complete interviews.</p> <p>Participant demographics.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table border="1" cellpadding="5"><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Parent/caregiver</td><td align="center">Child(ren)</td><td align="center">Disability (as described by parent/caregiver)</td><td align="center">Age of child(ren)</td><td align="center">Years in surf therapy programme</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left" rowspan="2">Alison</td><td align="left">Abby</td><td align="left">Asperger Syndrome</td><td align="center">16</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Max</td><td align="left">None known</td><td align="center">11</td><td align="center">3</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Anne</td><td align="left">Carl</td><td align="left">Autism, Apraxia</td><td align="center">11</td><td align="center">1</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Betty</td><td align="left">Neal</td><td align="left">Asperger Syndrome, Tourette Syndrome</td><td align="center">16</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left" rowspan="2">Cathy</td><td align="left">Rick</td><td align="left">Autism (high functioning)</td><td align="center">14</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Robbie</td><td align="left">Autism (severe)</td><td align="center">Unknown</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Jenny<sup>a</sup></td><td align="left">Kimberly</td><td align="left">Chromosomal Abnormality</td><td align="center">13</td><td align="center">2</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Karen</td><td align="left">John</td><td align="left">Autism, heart defect, physical limitations, stroke</td><td align="center">14</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Kelsey</td><td align="left">Janet</td><td align="left">Dandy Walker, ADHD, Post neurosurgical delay</td><td align="center">8</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Laura</td><td align="left">Carrie</td><td align="left">Down syndrome</td><td align="center">17</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Mary</td><td align="left">Natalie</td><td align="left">Autism</td><td align="center">12</td><td align="center">1</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Pamela</td><td align="left">Ike</td><td align="left">Microcephaly</td><td align="center">Grade 11 (age unknown)</td><td align="center">4</td></tr><tr valign="top"><td align="left">Tracy</td><td align="left">Terry</td><td align="left">Down Syndrome</td><td align="center">19</td><td align="center">3</td></tr></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 non-parent caregiver.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-11">Data Collection</hd> <p>Parents/caregivers were given the option of a face-to-face (either at the beach or another location) or a telephone interview. All chose to be interviewed at the beach while their child was surfing. Two of the study authors conducted and audio-recorded the one-on-one interviews either in a secluded section of the beach house, or on the beach pavilion deck. Interviewers used an interview protocol that prompted parents to discuss their child’s experience with the surf programme, other experiences with community activities, and communication with school and within the surf programme (see Appendix 1). Interviewers used follow-up queries to encourage parents to expand or clarify information when needed.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-12">Data Analysis</hd> <p>Interviews were transcribed verbatim. Researchers then clarified acronyms, field-specific jargon, names/organisations referenced and other language that was unclear. If the researchers were unsure, they followed up with parents at a later visit to the surf programme.</p> <p>Researchers coded and analysed data in three phases using the constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref53">15</reflink>] ; Strauss & Corbin, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref54">40</reflink>] ). In the first phase, they highlighted instances within each transcript where parents’ discussion focused on: (a) aspects of theirs and their child’s participation in the surf programme (termed participation); (b) benefits of the programme for their child, themselves or their families (termed benefits); and (c) interactions with instructors (termed instructors). Within this phrase, researchers noted that many parents discussed issues of parenting special needs children that were relevant in understanding their experiences in the surf programme. Therefore, researchers additionally highlighting instances where parents discussed parenting a child with special needs (termed parenting).</p> <p>In the second phase, researchers grouped initial codes into like categories that represented the relationships within each of the areas of participation, benefits, instructors and parenting, using in vivo codes to capture parents’ words. Researchers initially identified eight categories of participation (e.g. siblings, sceptical, cost, comfort), and eleven categories of benefits (e.g. sensory, sleep, physical, behaviour). They also identified 13 categories of instructors (e.g. gets it, interacts, appreciates), and eight categories of parenting (e.g. programmes, cost, school, energy).</p> <p>In the final phase, researchers created a matrix (Miles & Huberman, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref55">26</reflink>] ) of categories within parenting, participation, benefits and instructors. They placed into the matrix information from individual transcripts that fit into the designated categories. Including all transcripts on one matrix allowed researchers to ensure identified categories fit the interview data. Researchers determined that the participation and benefits categories were addressing two specific perspectives - parents and children. They collapsed those into one category of programme, and broke this larger category into two themes: parent-focused and child-focused, as those better described the data. They then grouped the eight prior participation categories into five broader ideas representing parent-focused: (a) family, (b) scepticism, (c) comfort level (d) community/inclusion and (e) accommodating. They grouped the eleven categories previously identified as benefits into six broader themes representing child-focused: (a) physical, (b) behaviour/attitude, (c) social, (d) language, (e) transfer and (f) siblings. They grouped the 13 categories of instructors into four overall areas: (a) interactions, (b) communication, (c) trust, and (d) extension, and the eight categories of parenting into four broader issues: (a) isolation, (b) resources, (c) finances and (d) school.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-13">Results</hd> <hd id="AN0128484768-14">Programme, Child-focused Findings</hd> <p>Parents discussed several benefits of the surf programme with respect to their children. First, parents discussed physical or sensory benefits. With respect to physical benefits, parents perceived their children had gained increased balance, muscle tone, stamina and other such ideas. For example, Karen, part of 15-year-old John who has autism and other physical issues, reported, ‘I think definitely, physically, because he has some core strength issues, I think that’s gotten stronger’. Laura, parent of 17-year-old Carrie, who has Down syndrome, discussed Carrie’s balance issues:</p> <p>One of her physical therapist’s goals was for her to be walking on uneven surfaces, which the ocean and the beach are perfect for that. So that was one of our goals - stability, like her knowing her, how her body works in space, and walking through the water is different from walking on a smooth path somewhere … Tuesday night, we got home from something and she walked up the stairs. She had stuff in her hands. She walked up our front stairs - It’s only three or four steps - without holding the rail, without holding my hand, and holding onto her stuff. So that whole sense of self and space and the balance, I think it’s improved greatly.</p> <p></p> <p>Tied to physical improvements, parents commented that the ocean provided needed sensory input. Cathy, who has two children with autism attending the programme, discussed her 14-year-old son, Rick, mentioning, ‘I think in some ways, the wetsuit and the waves, and the feel of the water give him sensory input he needs’. Cathy went on to say that both of her children benefitted from sensory stimulation:</p> <p>I think actually, the tightness of the wetsuit is a good thing for both my children. They are both deep-pressure seekers. So, between the wetsuit, the crashing of the waves, just the water on the wetsuit, it’s all sensory.</p> <p></p> <p>Anne, whose 11-year-old son, Carl, experiences significant difficulty with behaviour, speaks of the ‘regulating’ nature of the ocean, ‘I think that the regulation, it’s regulating him. I think the input from the water, and the wetsuit, and the surfing, and the waves, are giving him what he needs’.</p> <p>Perhaps related to physical and sensory benefits, parents noted improved behaviour and attitude, which they attributed to participation in the surf programme. For example, Anne discussed that Carl shows decreased aggression towards her after surfing. ‘It sort of transitions to going home. [Carl] has not hit me in eight weeks. Prior to this he probably hit me two or three times a day’.</p> <p>Most parents also discussed improvements in ‘outlook’ or ‘self confidence’. Parents noted that the programme, ‘gave my daughter a big shot of self-esteem’ (Alison speaking about Abby), or that their child is ‘definitely proud. She goes home and is like “I did it!”’ (Jenny speaking of Kimberly). Pamela speaks of her high school son with microcephaly and notes:</p> <p>It’s really given him some self-confidence to get out there and - it wasn’t many years ago he’d say, ‘oh, I can’t do that, I can’t do this, I can’t do that.’ … and now he seems more enthusiastic to try different things and get out there and try it rather than just saying no … I think this has really boosted his confidence for being physically active.</p> <p></p> <p>Most parents also mentioned their child’s inclusion in a physical and social environment. Mary, Natalie’s mom discussed that Natalie ‘realises she has limitations. And yet, when she’s on that surfboard, she’s just like everyone else. There is no limitations for her’. Cathy, Rick’s and Robbie’s mom discussed surfing being more accommodating than some other activities. She notes,</p> <p>neither of my kids are real great at a team activity. So, the fact that they’re in among other kids, but they’ve got a person one-on-one with them, seems to work better with my children as opposed to a team-type sport.</p> <p>This social and inclusive environment seems to generate interactions with others, which parents suggest improve children’s social skills and feelings of inclusion. Parents mention the uniqueness of the programme, and how that serves as a ‘social sort of leverage’ (Tracy discussing Terry, who has Down syndrome). Mary, parent of Natalie, age 12 who has autism, discusses that Natalie, ‘tells everybody about how she got to ride a wave’. Although Natalie is ‘very shy’, ‘when she comes here, she sees the kids and gets so excited’. Betty, describes her son Neal, age 16, who has Asperger and Tourette Syndromes, gaining friendships through the programme:</p> <p>He doesn’t really have many friends because of his diagnosis. You know he thinks everyone is his friend, but kids, he really doesn’t have friend-friends. In the group here, he does … some of the kids he does consider his friends now, and they can chat.</p> <p></p> <p>Because the programme also welcomes non-disabled siblings, parents who bring siblings discuss the positives of having both siblings engaging in the same activity. They mention healthy competition, decreased jealousy and increased social interaction, ‘it gives them something to talk about’ (Alison discussing Abby, who has Asperger Syndrome).</p> <p>Parents report that programme benefits transferred to other areas of the children’s lives. Parents discussed physical activity and sensory feedback helping with sleep and aggression, inclusion and social interaction extending children’s feelings of self-esteem, which, in turn, transferred to activities in other settings. Kelsey, parent of Janet, age 8 who has multiple disabilities, reported that Janet’s language and toileting improved, as did her physical abilities. Kelsey says, ‘it happened during the 8-week period. It was like, there was this big explosion of activity in her brain’. Kelsey reported that progress stopped when the programme ended, but picked up again when the programme began the following year. Kelsey says, ‘her speech continued to get more elaborate. She’s pretty much talking non-stop now. And she got out of diapers for urine’. Cathy, talking about her son Rick, mentioned that Rick was able to transfer his knowledge of paddling a surfboard to swimming, ‘[instructor] told him to cup his hands as he was making the board go. [Rick] used that while he was swimming in a race at Special Olympics to propel himself faster’.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-15">Parent-focused Findings</hd> <p>Many parents reported that, initially, they were sceptical that their child would be successful in the programme, or that instructors would be able to ‘deal with’ their child’s disability. Karen, parent of John, age 16 who has autism and physical challenges, thought back to his initial experience, ‘I remember the first time he went … and I thought, “this is either going to be the best thing, or it’s going to be a nightmare”’. She discussed her surprise at John’s success, ‘It really was a surprise in how well it’s worked out in terms of what he’s gotten out of it, and, you know, I think what we’ve gotten out of it’. Likewise, Anne, Carl’s mom, stated:</p> <p>Carl is not a waiter, and he gets pretty aggressive. I expected to come and we would be waiting and it would be disorganised. Like, that was my expectation, ’cause that’s how it’s always been … so when we ever showed up the first day, and they were like [snaps fingers] somebody was waiting for him. They had a one-on-one for him, and they got him to the beach. I was like [amazed expression], and the person had like no experience with a person with a disability, and [instructor] was just ‘whatever’ with Carl … and so every week it’s been like that. We arrive, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life.</p> <p></p> <p>Similarly, parents reported comfort leaving their children in the hands of others. Alison, speaking about daughter Abby, mentioned, ‘sometimes it’s all you can do to get them there. And then for me to be able to step back and not have to be right there all the time was huge’.</p> <p>Parents also discussed benefits for their families. Betty, parent of Neal, noted that surfing ‘brings us down here and forces you to kind of do things together’. She discussed,</p> <p>My husband used to surf, and it’s a nice thing because he likes to see the kids surf, and once the programme gets over … we’ll be coming down with his surfboard, and he’ll be letting the kids do it.</p> <p>Alison, Abby’s mom, says, ‘it was the first thing that [Abby and sibling] have done together, really, where they were both kind of on the same page’. Pamela also discussed how surfing has built a bridge between her son, Ike and others in the family:</p> <p>Well, my husband was a big body boarder, and that’s why now my younger son is body boarding, and then his older brother surfs. So, it’s kind of like keeping with what they do as a family, the men. The men either body board or surf. My husband’s just as excited that [Ike’s] embracing activities in the ocean because [husband’s] brother, who lives on the pier, he’s got two sons, and they never embraced either one of them. … [husband, Ike, sibling] haven’t done it all together at the same time, but my husband’s looking forward to coming home from work, and then maybe they’ll hit the beach for an hour, do some surfing.</p> <p></p> <p>Although many parents recounted stories of ‘not fitting in’ to other types of programmes for a variety of reasons, they discussed the surf programme as an accepting community. Alison, Abby’s mom says, ‘it allowed her to participate in, to be in a community programme, where we had been isolated for many years. And that was important to me, because we really never had a community for her’. Anne, Carl’s mom, said that the surf programme gave her something to talk about with other parents - a common ground. She recounted putting Carl’s surfing picture on Facebook, and being thrilled when other parents/friends praised Carl and related to surfing. Anne also noted that surfing is something that her family can do ‘after school or on the weekends’, which she notes as being a wonderful social activity. Other parents echoed the sentiment of surfing as a ‘normalising’ activity.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-16">Challenges of Parenting</hd> <p>Parents’ perceptions of surf programme benefits seemed related to their challenges parenting a child with special needs, including resources and feelings of isolation. When finding ‘something to do’, parents of children who are ‘high functioning’ and children with more challenges report similar issues. Cathy, Rick’s mom, stated, ‘but with the higher functioning kids, there aren’t a lot of programmes out there’. Whereas, Anne, reported that even programmes designed for children with autism cater to children who are ‘higher’ functioning than her son:</p> <p>There’s nothing for us to do, unless I want to go to the Autism Project, which also isn’t that good at supporting Carl. They’re much better with the higher, the very verbal kids who are rule followers … I would love for Carl to take swim lessons. I think he has autism, he should know how to swim. But getting someone to do swim lessons is nearly impossible, to find somebody, so we’ve tried … there are none.</p> <p>Kelsey, Janet’s mother, discussed evaluating programmes based on effort-to-benefit:</p> <p></p> <p>I think for us, because we have a really large family and a family business, and we’re already maxed out, the only thing I can participate in is something that I’m going to see a major change. It’s just not keeping her busy.</p> <p>Cathy, Rick’s and Robbie’s mother agreed:</p> <p>There’s a lot to getting the kids here. Think about it. Between Tuesday night and Thursday, I have one day to clean wetsuits, make sure they have their bathing suits, repack whatever we need to get here. I mean it’s a project … It’s a commitment … ’cause it’s not an easy place to get to … it’s two different pick up times [from schools] and I’ve got to correlate all this to be here for 4:00 … We wouldn’t be here four years in a row if I didn’t [love the programme], believe me.</p> <p></p> <p>Cathy, expressed that ‘cost is a factor, unless you’re rich. Cost is a factor for every special needs family’. Mary, Natalie’s mother, agreed stating,</p> <p>I’m always looking for programmes that are inclusive … because, as far as myself being a single parent, like I hear of a programme, but I can’t always afford it. I’m even willing, I think [surf’s] such a great programme, that … when it came up I said, ‘I don’t care how much I have to budget toward the programme.’ I’ve seen such great success from it that I’d be willing to pay into the programme if I had to.</p> <p></p> <p>Kelsey, Janet’s mother echoed the cost issue stating:</p> <p>Just the fact that there isn’t a cost [to the programme], because, right now, we’re just stretched … If I could find someone who would take her [surfing] that kid would go out. If I could afford a house on the beach, I’d buy one. It’s very frustrating, knowing what she needs … I feel like this is like, really essential.</p> <p></p> <p>Overall, it seems that parents feel the surf programme provides an activity where they and their children feel included. They discussed typical feelings of exclusion. Anne, Carl’s mom explained that Carl’s aggression limits his participation, ‘[programmes are] just not ready. The whole world isn’t ready [laughs]’. Alison, Abby’s mom discussed, ‘team sports were always out … We had been isolated for many years’. Mary, Natalie’s mother reported:</p> <p>Because my child is special needs, she’s not included in things. I often find out about things that are going on after the fact instead of before the fact … and that has been very frustrating.</p> <p></p> <hd id="AN0128484768-17">Instructor Findings</hd> <p>Parents spoke at length about their children’s interactions with surf programme instructors. Regarding working with students with disabilities, parents reported instructors ‘get it’ (Karen), are ‘a certain kind of person’ (Cathy), ‘of a certain breed’ (Alison) and ‘open-minded’ (Cathy), that they ‘go with the flow’ (Anne), or are ‘laid back’ (Betty). These seem to be important qualities parents seek, particularly given parents’ initial scepticism over their children’s success. Both Karen, John’s mom and Anne, Carl’s mother, mentioned their initial concern that instructors would not be able to ‘handle’ their child. Karen said, ‘I wasn’t anxious for my kid, I was anxious for the poor kid that was getting teamed up with my kid’. However, parents expressed relief that their concerns were not validated. Rather, they found instructors were ‘friendly’ (Cathy), ‘positive’ (Mary) and ‘receptive’ (Laura), which they noted helped their children be successful. One of the most prominent things parents discussed was instructors’ ability to get children to achieve goals parents did not think were possible. Some achievements were physical. Carrie’s mother, Laura, discussed that Carrie:</p> <p>started off laying on the board, and then [instructors] encouraged her to sit on the board, and then the next week they said, ‘okay, next week … pinky promise that you’re gonna kneel on the board next week, and then stand of the board the week after,’ and she pinky promised. But, the next week, they had her kneel, and I was like, ‘she’s never gonna do that. She doesn’t have the balance or stability.’ And the next week, she did kneel on the board, and the girl said, ‘I think we could try standing this week, too,’ and she stood on that board. So I went from thinking, ‘she’s never gonna do anything but sit on it,’ to having her stand on the board. They challenged her beyond what I thought she could even be challenged.</p> <p></p> <p>Some accomplishments were social. Pamela, discussed that Ike’s instructor ‘made him feel important’, and that ‘He’d always talk about [instructor] … you know, “we did this, and I told him this,” and he just really enjoys, even the social aspect of it is very important’. Betty discussed that Neal’s instructor ‘listen[s] to him … and chat[s] with him, which is important to Neal’. Some parents reported socialisation transferring outside the surf programme, as they encountered instructors in the community. Tracy, Terry’s mother, said she often saw Terry’s instructor (‘he’s around’), so Terry ‘feel[s] like [she] has a connection to him’. Kelsey told a story of Janet’s instructor providing them tickets to a university sports event and how the instructor’s colleagues introduced themselves, ‘Oh, this must be Janet. [Instructor] is always talking about Janet!’</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-18">Discussion</hd> <p>We undertook this study to understand parents’ perceptions of a theraputic surf programme for their children with disabilities. The study begins to fill the gap in the literature with respect to the benefits of surfing for individuals with disabilities. Parents reported noticing physical benefits, such as balance and stamina, observations confirmed by empirical research (Armitano et al., [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref56">2</reflink>] ). Parents noted that physical benefits transfer to other areas. This notion of transfer has been noted somewhat in the literature (Clapham et al., [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref57">7</reflink>] ), but is ripe for further exploration, as parents also indicated their children’s increased confidence and willingness to take on physical activities and tasks. Therefore, further research would be needed to understand the connections between physical and emotional benefits of surfing.</p> <p>However, one association seems clear to many parents in this study - the water, wetsuit and crashing of waves provides much needed sensory stimulation. This has been noted anecdotally in surf programme information (cf. http://www.wavesofimpact.com), but has not been researched empirically. Also, although a ‘sensory diet’, which includes deep pressure activities (weighted vests, deep pressure tubes, etc.) has been shown helpful in some studies (e.g. Fazlioğlu & Baran, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref58">12</reflink>] ), it also does not have a great deal of empirical support (Wong et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref59">42</reflink>] ). Nevertheless, parents in this study credit the sensory stimulation for behaviour and other benefits they see, such as increased sleep, increased calmness and decreased aggression.</p> <p>Parents in our study corroborate previous research highlighting challenges associated with finding recreational programmes that are affordable (Egilson, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref60">10</reflink>] ; Kleinert et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref61">20</reflink>] ), inclusive in nature (Shields & Synnot, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref62">37</reflink>] ) and offer physical as well as social opportunities for their children (McConkey et al., [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref63">24</reflink>] ; Shapiro & Martin, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref64">36</reflink>] ). Additionally, our results add to literature suggesting the impact service providers have on the children and families they support (King et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref65">18</reflink>] ; Stoner et al., [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref66">39</reflink>] ). Our results highlight the positive impact a surf therapy programme can have on a child’s social, emotional and behavioural well-being.</p> <p>Lastly, it is important to note that this qualitative study is specific to one no-cost surf therapy programme; these results cannot be generalised to other programmes or populations. Further research involving a larger sample would deepen our understanding of the familial impact of surf therapy.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-19">Disclosure Statement</hd> <p>No conflict of interest was reported by the authors.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-20">Funding</hd> <p>This work was supported by the John E. Fogarty Foundation; the University of Rhode Island; the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism; the Brayden Carr Foundation; the Gronk Nation Youth Foundation and the Peter Pan Surf Academy.</p> <hd id="AN0128484768-21">Acknowledgements</hd> <p>The authors would like to thank Peter Panagiotis from the Peter Pan Surf Academy who donated 50% of the equipment rental costs.</p> <ref id="AN0128484768-22"> <title>References</title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref15" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext>An, J., & Goodwin, D. L. ( 2007 ). Physical education for students with spina bifida: Mothers’ perspectives. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly,24, 38 - 58. doi: 10.1123/apaq.24.1.38 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref13" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext>Armitano, C. N., Clapham, E. D., & Lamont, L. S. ( 2015 ). Benefits of surfing for children with disabilities: A pilot study. PALAESTRA,29 ( 3 ), 31 - 34. doi: 10.18666/palaestra-2015-v29-i3-6912 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib3" idref="ref11" type="bt">3</bibl> <bibtext>Bravo, M. M., Cummins, K., Nessler, J. A., & Newcomer, S. C. ( 2015 ). Heart rate responses of high school students participating in surfing physical education. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,30 ( 6 ), 1721 - 1726. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001263 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib4" idref="ref38" type="bt">4</bibl> <bibtext>Butler, R. S., & Hodge, S. R. ( 2004 ). Social inclusion of students with disabilities in middle school physical education classes. Research in Middle Level Education Online,27 ( 1 ), 1 - 10. </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib5" idref="ref19" type="bt">5</bibl> <bibtext>Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ( 2016 ). How much physical activity do children need? Retrieved from: <ulink href="http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm">http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/basics/children/index.htm</ulink></bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib6" idref="ref35" type="bt">6</bibl> <bibtext>Cherney, J. L., Lindemann, K., & Hardin, M. ( 2015 ). Research in communication, disability, and sport. Communication & Sport,3 ( 1 ), 8 - 26. doi: 10.1177/2167479513514847 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib7" idref="ref52" type="bt">7</bibl> <bibtext>Clapham, E. D., Armitano, C. N., Lamont, L. S., & Audette, J. G. ( 2014 ). The ocean as a unique therapeutic environment: Developing a surfing program. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance,85 ( 4 ), 8 - 14. doi: 10.1080/07303084.2014.884424 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib8" idref="ref1" type="bt">8</bibl> <bibtext>Dahan-Oliel, N., Shikako-Thomas, K., & Majnemer, A. ( 2012 ). Quality of life and leisure participation in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities: A thematic analysis of the literature. Quality of Life Research,21 ( 3 ), 427 - 439. doi: 10.1007/s11136-011-0063-9 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib9" idref="ref26" type="bt">9</bibl> <bibtext>Dumas, H., & Francesconi, S. ( 2001 ). Aquatic therapy in pediatrics. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics,20 ( 4 ), 63 - 78. doi: 10.1080/J006v20n04_05 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib10" idref="ref44" type="bt">10</bibl> <bibtext>Egilson, S. T. ( 2011 ). Parent perspectives of therapy services for their children with physical disabilities. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences,25, 277 - 284. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-6712.2010.00823.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib11" idref="ref30" type="bt">11</bibl> <bibtext>Emerson, E., & McVilly, K. ( 2004 ). Friendship activities of adults with intellectual disabilities in supported accommodation in northern England. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities,17, 191 - 197. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2004.00198.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib12" idref="ref58" type="bt">12</bibl> <bibtext>Fazlioğlu, Y., & Baran, G. ( 2008 ). A sensory integration therapy program on sensory problems for children with autism. Perceptual and Motor Skills,106, 415 - 422. doi: 10.2466/pms.106.2.415-422 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib13" idref="ref22" type="bt">13</bibl> <bibtext>Fragala-Pinkham, M., Haley, S. M., & O’Neil, M. E. ( 2008 ). Group aquatic aerobic exercise for children with disabilities. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology,50 ( 11 ), 822 - 827. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8749.2008.03086.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib14" idref="ref27" type="bt">14</bibl> <bibtext>Getz, M., Hutzler, Y., & Vermeer, A. ( 2007 ). The effects of aquatic intervention on perceived physical competence and social acceptance in children with cerebral palsy. European Journal of Special Needs Education,22 ( 2 ), 217 - 228. doi: 10.1080/08856250701269705 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib15" idref="ref53" type="bt">15</bibl> <bibtext>Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. ( 1967 ). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago, IL : Aldine. </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib16" idref="ref23" type="bt">16</bibl> <bibtext>Hayden, M. F. ( 1998 ). Mortality among people with mental retardation living in the United States: Research review and policy application. Mental Retardation,36, 345 - 359. 10.1352/0047-6765(1998)036<0345:MAPWMR>2.0.CO;2 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib17" idref="ref49" type="bt">17</bibl> <bibtext>Hayes, S. A., & Watson, S. L. ( 2013 ). The impact of parenting stress: A meta-analysis of studies comparing the experience of parenting stress in parents of children with and without autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,43, 629 - 642. doi: 10.1007/s10803-012-1604-y </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib18" idref="ref14" type="bt">18</bibl> <bibtext>King, G., Law, M., Hanna, S., King, S., Hurley, P., Rosenbaum, P., … Petrenchik, T. ( 2006 ). Predictors of the leisure and recreation participation of children with physical disabilities: A structural equation modeling analysis. Children’s Health Care,35 ( 3 ), 209 - 234. doi: 10.1207/s15326888chc3503_2 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib19" idref="ref43" type="bt">19</bibl> <bibtext>King, G., Lawm, M., King, S., Rosenbaum, P., Kertoy, M. K., & Young, N. L. ( 2003 ). A conceptual model of the factors affecting the recreation and leisure participation of children with disabilities. Physical & Occupational Therapy In Pediatrics,23 ( 1 ), 63 - 90. doi: 10.1080/j006v23n01_05 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib20" idref="ref45" type="bt">20</bibl> <bibtext>Kleinert, H., Miracle, S., & Sheppard-Jones, K. ( 2007 ). Including students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities in school extracurricular and community recreation activities. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities,45 ( 1 ), 46 - 55. doi: 10.1352/1934-9556(2007)45[46:iswmas]2.0.co;2 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib21" idref="ref50" type="bt">21</bibl> <bibtext>Lessenberry, B. M., & Rehfeldt, R. A. ( 2004 ). Evaluating stress levels of parents of children with disabilities. Exceptional Children,70 ( 2 ), 231 - 244. doi: 10.1177/001440290407000207 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib22" idref="ref48" type="bt">22</bibl> <bibtext>Mactavish, J. B., & Schleien, S. J. ( 2004 ). Re-injecting spontaneity and balance in family life: Parents’ perspectives on recreation in families that include children with developmental disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research,48 ( 2 ), 123 - 141. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2004.00502.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib23" idref="ref34" type="bt">23</bibl> <bibtext>Mazurek, M. O., & Kanne, S. M. ( 2010 ). Friendship and internalizing symptoms among children and adolescents with ASD. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,40, 1512 - 1520. doi: 10.1007/s10803-010-1014-y </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib24" idref="ref4" type="bt">24</bibl> <bibtext>McConkey, R., Dowling, S., Hassan, D., & Menke, S. ( 2013 ). Promoting social inclusion through Unified Sports for youth with intellectual disabilities: A five-nation study. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research,57 ( 10 ), 923 - 935. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2012.01587.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib25" idref="ref12" type="bt">25</bibl> <bibtext>Mendez-Villanueva, A., & Bishop, D. ( 2005 ). Physiological aspects of surfboard riding performance. Sports Medicine,35 ( 1 ), 55 - 70. doi: 10.2165/00007256-200535010-00005 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib26" idref="ref55" type="bt">26</bibl> <bibtext>Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. ( 1994 ). Qualitative data analysis ( 2nd ed. ). Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Publications. </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib27" idref="ref2" type="bt">27</bibl> <bibtext>Murphy, N. A., & Carbone, P. S., & Council on Children with Disabilities. ( 2008 ). Promoting the participation of children with disabilities in sports, recreation, and physical activities. Pediatrics,121, 1057 - 1061. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008-0566 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib28" idref="ref18" type="bt">28</bibl> <bibtext>Ogden, C. L., Carroll, M. D., Kit, B. K., & Flegal, K. M. ( 2014 ). Prevalence of childhood and adult obesity in the United States, 2011-2012. JAMA,311 ( 8 ), 806 - 814. doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.732 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib29" idref="ref9" type="bt">29</bibl> <bibtext>Okagaki, L., Diamond, K. E., Kontos, S. J., & Hestenes, L. L. ( 1998 ). Correlates of young children’s interactions with classmates with disabilities. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,13, 67 - 86. doi: 10.1016/s0885-2006(99)80026-x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib30" idref="ref31" type="bt">30</bibl> <bibtext>Orsmond, G. I., Shattuck, P. T., Cooper, B. P., Sterzing, P. R., & Anderson, K. A. ( 2013 ). Social participation among young adults with an autism spectrum disorder. Journal of Autism & Developmental Disorders,43, 2710 - 2719. doi: 10.1007/s10803-013-1833-8 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib31" idref="ref3" type="bt">31</bibl> <bibtext>Pan, C.-Y. ( 2011 ). The efficacy of an aquatic program on physical fitness and aquatic skills in children with and without autism spectrum disorders. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders,5, 657 - 665. doi: 10.1016/j.rasd.2010.08.001 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib32" idref="ref37" type="bt">32</bibl> <bibtext>Place, K., & Hodge, S. ( 2001 ). Social inclusion of students with physical disabilities in general physical education: A behavioral analysis. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly,18, 389 - 404. doi: 10.1123/apaq.18.4.389 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib33" idref="ref17" type="bt">33</bibl> <bibtext>Qi, J., & Ha, A. S. ( 2012 ). Inclusion in physical education: A review of literature. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education,59, 257 - 281. doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2012.697737 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib34" idref="ref10" type="bt">34</bibl> <bibtext>Rimmer, J. H., Riley, B., Wang, E., Rauworth, A., & Jurkowski, J. ( 2004 ). Physical activity participation among persons with disabilities. American Journal of Preventive Medicine,26 ( 5 ), 419 - 425. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2004.02.002 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib35" idref="ref7" type="bt">35</bibl> <bibtext>Rimmer, J. H., Yamaki, K., Lowry, B. M., Wang, E., & Vogel, L. C. ( 2010 ). Obesity and obesity-related secondary conditions in adolescents with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research,54 ( 9 ), 787 - 794. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01305.x </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib36" idref="ref5" type="bt">36</bibl> <bibtext>Shapiro, D. R., & Martin, J. J. ( 2014 ). The relationships among sport self-perceptions and social well-being in athletes with physical disabilities. Disability and Health Journal,7, 42 - 48. doi: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2013.06.002 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib37" idref="ref42" type="bt">37</bibl> <bibtext>Shields, N., & Synnot, A. J. ( 2014 ). An exploratory study of how sports and recreation industry personnel perceive the barriers and facilitators of physical activity in children with disability. Disability and Rehabilitation,36 ( 24 ), 2080 - 2084. doi: 10.3109/09638288.2014.892637 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib38" idref="ref16" type="bt">38</bibl> <bibtext>Siebert, E. A., Hamm, J., & Yun, J. ( 2016 ). Parental influence on physical activity of children with disabilities. International Journal of Disability, Development & Education, 1 - 13. doi: 10.1080/1034912X.2016.1245412 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib39" idref="ref51" type="bt">39</bibl> <bibtext>Stoner, J. B., Bock, S. J., Thompson, J. R., Angell, M. E., Heyl, B. S., & Crowley, E. P. ( 2005 ). Welcome to our world. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities,20 ( 1 ), 39 - 51. doi: 10.1177/10883576050200010401 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib40" idref="ref54" type="bt">40</bibl> <bibtext>Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. ( 2008 ). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques ( 3rd ed. ). Newbury Park, CA : Sage. </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib41" idref="ref28" type="bt">41</bibl> <bibtext>Vonder Hulls, D. S., Walker, L. K., & Powell, J. M. ( 2006 ). Clinicians’ perceptions of the benefits of aquatic therapy for young children with autism. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics,26 ( 1/2 ), 13 - 22. doi: 10.1080/J006v26n01_03 </bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib42" idref="ref59" type="bt">42</bibl> <bibtext>Wong, C., Odom, S. L., Hume, K., Cox, A. W., Fettig, A., Kucharczyk, S., … Schultz, T. R. ( 2015 ). Evidence-based practices for children, youth, and young adults with autism spectrum disorder: A comprehensive review. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders,45 ( 7 ), 1951 - 1966. doi: 10.1007/s10803-014-2351-z </bibtext> </blist> </ref> <aug> <p>By Adam M. Moore; Emily D. Clapham and Theresa A. Deeney</p> </aug>
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1173026
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Parents' Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moore%2C+Adam+M%2E%22">Moore, Adam M.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clapham%2C+Emily+D%2E%22">Clapham, Emily D.</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Deeney%2C+Theresa+A%2E%22">Deeney, Theresa A.</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22International+Journal+of+Disability%2C+Development+and+Education%22"><i>International Journal of Disability, Development and Education</i></searchLink>. 2018 65(3):304-317.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 14
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2018
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Disabilities%22">Disabilities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Parent+Attitudes%22">Parent Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Qualitative+Research%22">Qualitative Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interviews%22">Interviews</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caregiver+Attitudes%22">Caregiver Attitudes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Participation%22">Student Participation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Physical+Therapy%22">Physical Therapy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Therapeutic+Recreation%22">Therapeutic Recreation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Program+Effectiveness%22">Program Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Summer+Programs%22">Summer Programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Aquatic+Sports%22">Aquatic Sports</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/1034912X.2017.1400660
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 1034-912X
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This qualitative study was designed to understand parents' perceptions of their children's participation in an inclusive surf therapy programme in the United States. Ten parents and one caregiver were interviewed about theirs and their children's experience in the surf programme. Parent discussions centred on the child, parent/caregiver, instructor and challenges of parenting. Results indicate that parents perceive surf therapy to positively impact their child physically, socially and behaviourally. Findings also suggest cost, an inclusive, family-centred approach and opportunities for socialisation with other families were important to parents' satisfaction.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: Ref
  Label: Number of References
  Group: RefInfo
  Data: 42
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2018
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1173026
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1173026
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/1034912X.2017.1400660
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 14
        StartPage: 304
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Disabilities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Parent Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviews
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Caregiver Attitudes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Participation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Physical Therapy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Therapeutic Recreation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Barriers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Summer Programs
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aquatic Sports
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Children
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Parents' Perspectives on Surf Therapy for Children with Disabilities
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Moore, Adam M.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Clapham, Emily D.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Deeney, Theresa A.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2018
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 1034-912X
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 65
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Disability, Development and Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1