Participation of children with mental retardation in exercise programs. Prediction of parents' intention

Abstract

Participation in exercise programs is important for the improvement of physical, mental and social abilities of children with mental retardation and it is decisively influenced by the role of parents and their attitude toward exercise. The purpose of this study was to examine parents’ intention to send their children with mental retardation to attend organized exercise programs. The sample constituted of 45 parents of children with mental retardation from three cities of Greece. The design of the study was based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. A questionnaire was administered assessing attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control and intentions in relation to the examined behavior. The results of the study showed that perceived control of behavior was the most important factor that predicting the intention of parents towards participation of their children in exercise programs.