title: The psychosocial benefits of an inclusive community-based aquatics program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the psychosocial effect of participation in an inclusive community-based aquatics program for children with and without disabilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three participants completed an 8-week inclusive aquatics program. Quality of life, self-concept, and acceptance were measured using the PedsQL 4.0, Piers-Harris 2 Children's Self-Concept Scale, and Peer Sociometric Nomination Assessment (Friendship Questionnaire). Data were analyzed using a 2 × 2 analysis of variance with repeated measures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the 8-week intervention, a statistically significant decrease was found on the School subsection of the PedsQL 4.0 for the children without disabilities, and in the happiness subsection of the Piers-Harris 2 for the children with disabilities. The Peer Sociometric Nomination Assessment showed a trend that children with disabilities received less negative peer nominations at posttest when compared with pretest.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Participation in an inclusive aquatics program may lead to improved acceptance of children with disabilities by their peers without disabilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Lebanon Valley College, Annville, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Oriel
authors.forename: Victoria G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.forename: Ashley
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shirk
authors.forename: Lonni
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003256:Community Participation / Q000523:psychology*; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010465:Perception; D016730:Program Development / Q000379:methods*; D011594:Psychometrics; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012649:Self Concept; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013550:Swimming / Q000523:psychology*