Mentally Handicapped Adolescents: Their Use of Leisure

Clients' community and social contacts: results of a 5‐year longitudinal study

“…Nearly half of the sample did not take part in any activity outside of the family: only one-third took part in any community activity and only one-fifth had non-handicapped friends. Their results were consistent with earlier findings by Cheseldine & Jeffree (1981) with regard to adolescents with mental handicap. Most leisure activity took place in the home or was family oriented.…”

Leaving home: the experience of people with a mental handicap

“…Finally, they were given only limited autonomy in very basic aspects of their lives, their parents exercising a large degree of control and protection. The social isolation and parental protectiveness experienced by people with a mental handicap living in the family home revealed in this research is consistent with the findings from previous studies (Lundstrome-Roche, 1981;Wertheimer, 1981;Cheseldine & Jeffree, 1981;McConkey & McCormack, 1983). However, as Wertheimer (1981) remarks, it would be unfair to criticize parents for being protective, considering how little help and advice they are given.…”

Identifying the barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with Down syndrome

“…The barriers and facilitators identified by this group are likely to reflect family issues and not a broader spectrum of issues such as policy. Findings from previous studies suggest parents provide in-depth information on family matters such as financial issues, time constraints and accessibility to programmes (Matthews 1980;Cheseldine & Jeffree 1981;Levinson & Reid 1991;Menear 2007), children identify personal or peer-related determinants of physical activity (Hutzler et al 2002;Anderson et al 2005;Kang et al 2007) and support people (e.g. personnel from school boards and recreation departments) provide data relating to programmes and policies ( Wilkinson 1983).…”

“…2010) and we were interested to examine if the same barriers and facilitators to physical activity exist for children with Down syndrome. A number of previous studies have examined the barriers to physical and leisure activities for children with disability where the participants included children with ID (Matthews 1980; Cheseldine & Jeffree 1981; Levinson & Reid 1991; Sit et al . 2002; Jones 2003; Buttimer & Tierney 2005; Menear 2007).…”

“…Our research team published a study investigating the barriers and facilitators to physical activity among adults with Down syndrome (Mahy et al 2010) and we were interested to examine if the same barriers and facilitators to physical activity exist for children with Down syndrome. A number of previous studies have examined the barriers to physical and leisure activities for children with disability where the participants included children with ID (Matthews 1980;Cheseldine & Jeffree 1981;Levinson & Reid 1991;Sit et al 2002;Jones 2003;Buttimer & Tierney 2005;Menear 2007). These studies reported a range of personal, social, environmental and programme factors that hindered engagement in physical activity by children with disability including lacking the necessary physical and social skills, a lack of accessible facilities and programmes, a lack of appropriately trained staff, an emphasis on competitive sport and negative attitudes towards disability.…”