Friendship in inclusive physical education from the perspective of students with and without physical disabilities

Abstract

The role of a best friend for students with and without a disability in inclusive physical education has been conspicuously neglected in sport psychology and adapted physical activity research. Although the last decade has seen an increase in empirical research pertaining to the perceived experiences of students with a physical disability in inclusive physical education (Blinde & McCallister, 1998; Goodwin & Watkinson, 2000; Hutzler, Fliess, Chacham, & Van den Auweele, 2002), the effect of a best friend for both students with and without a disability has generally been overlooked. Thus the current study compared friendship in inclusive physical education from the perspective of students with (n=8) and without (n=8) physical disabilities. All participants attended a reversely integrated school and were interviewed using an unstructured, open-ended interview format. An interview guide from Weiss, Smith, and Theeboom (1996) that explored friendship in the sport domain was adapted to account for the context of inclusive physical education. Four categories emerged from the analysis: spectrum of friendship, best friend, preferred physical activities and outcomes, and dealing with disability. Specifically, similarities and differences were noted in best friendship, between the two groups regarding physical activity patterns, and features of best friendship valued in physical education.