Leisure and Recreation Access, Inclusion, and Participation Amongst People with Disabilities

People with disabilities are the largest minority, representing more than 15% of the global population. While research has demonstrated many benefits of leisure, recreation, and physical activity for people with various disabilities, many remain marginalized from mainstream society and leisure spaces due to numerous barriers within their communities. Often, the equipment and facilities do not cater to people with disabilities, and staff members in leisure programs lack the necessary knowledge and training.

Additionally, research has shown that having an impairment or disabling condition contributes to financial constraints for those with disabilities and their families. Consequently, socio-economic status is often lower among individuals with disabilities, and leisure services are deprioritized. Most countries focus on essential service delivery, such as housing, electricity, and food, and do not necessarily advocate for the health benefits and quality of life that leisure and recreation services provide.

Current leisure and recreational programs offered by public sectors might not always achieve the desired outcomes, due to the misconception that programs and activities are limited to fun and games. It seems unrealistic to expect community members to be inclusive of people with disabilities without adequate knowledge, awareness, and proper training. Leisure, as a springboard for inclusion, should focus on helping people with disabilities identify the skills and abilities they can use in their leisure activities and help them develop new skills that can be useful for other meaningful activities. Understanding the strengths and resource gaps of people with disabilities can help support the development of essential skills, thus helping them navigate day-to-day challenges and become independent and empowered.

There are numerous ways that leisure and recreation can contribute to inclusion and access, as well as improve the health of people with disabilities and the development of essential skills. Different practices in leisure, recreation, and physical activity anchored in the community exist for people with disabilities, with various goals but all aiming to support access to the benefits of leisure, such as therapeutic recreation, community-based programming, and school programs. It is important to understand the different benefits and outcomes of these opportunities and learn how to better support them. The objective is to provide recommendations to create policies and practice changes, develop training, and offer better support to organizations.

We aim to publish a collection of articles including but not limited to original research, review, mini-review, brief research reports, perspective, conceptual analysis, and opinion pieces that cover one or more of the following themes:
• Leisure time physical activity (LTPA) access and inclusion for people with disabilities
• Leisure, recreation, sports, and physical activity to facilitate skills development
• Leisure, recreation, sports, and physical activity in different socio-economic groups of individuals with disabilities
• Therapeutic, health, and wellness outcomes of leisure, recreation, and sport for people with disabilities
• The role of leisure, recreation, sports, and physical activity on the livelihoods of people with disabilities
• Support offered by family members/communities for people with disabilities and/or programs including families
• Current barriers encountered accessing leisure, recreation, and sports spaces
• Strategies to facilitate barrier-free access into leisure, recreation, and physical activity spaces
• Case studies/reports of policies, system changes, and/or formal advocacy efforts to include leisure, recreation, and sport for people with disabilities in the community

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: disability inclusion, leisure and recreation, physical activity, community-based programs, therapeutic outcomes

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.