IJERPH, Vol. 18, Pages 10883: The Mediating Effect of Disability Acceptance in Individuals with Spinal Cord Injury Participating in Sport for All (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health)

The purpose of this study is to examine the importance of disability acceptance among individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) participating in the Sport for All program through self-help group activities with other individuals with SCI. This study investigated whether disability acceptance mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and life satisfaction and between sense of belonging and life satisfaction. Subjects were 142 individuals with SCI participating in the self-help group with other sports activities including para table tennis, swimming, wheelchair rugby, and weight training. A simple mediation effect analysis showed that disability acceptance significantly mediated the relationship between self-efficacy and life satisfaction (indirect effect, b = 0.219) and between the sense of belonging and life satisfaction (indirect effect, b = 0.289). The results suggest the importance of disability acceptance for individuals with SCI participating in “Sports for All” programs.