Parents’ perception of the role of sports in supporting psychological and social development in children with specific learning disorders

Abstract

Background: This study aims to examine parents’ perceptions of how coach support influences the satisfaction of basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) and its subsequent impact on the self-esteem and overall well-being of children with Specific Learning Disorders (SLDs) through participation in sports. Methods: The sample consisted of 1146 parents of children and young people diagnosed with SLDs from several European countries. The Coach Support Scale (COS), the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction Scale (BPNS), the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and the Sport Impact Scale (SIS) were used. Descriptive, reliability, Gaussian distribution, and ANOVA analyses were conducted. Results: The results show that increased sports participation is associated with higher perceptions of coach support, autonomy, competence, psychological need satisfaction, self-esteem, relatedness, and the positive impact of sports on the lives of children and adolescents with SLDs. Children and teenagers who engage in individual and team sports exhibit greater coach support, autonomy, competence, relatedness, BPNS, and self-esteem compared to those who participate in only one type of sport, with p-values ranging from 0.004 to 0.050. Conclusions: In conclusion, participation in sports seems to benefit the self-esteem and well-being of children and young people with SLDs. The practical applications of this study highlight the importance of specialized coach training to address the psychological needs of children with SLDs, the development of balanced sports programs that integrate individual and team activities to optimize benefits, the encouragement of parental involvement to enhance positive experiences, and the implementation of policies that support inclusive and adaptive sports practices.