Viewing the World Through the Lens of 'Normal': The Perceptions of Children with ASD and Sport

This qualitative study was informed by grounded theory methods in order to explore sport providers perceptions. Eight sport providers took part in a semi-structured interview. The main overarching theme that emerged was constructing normalcy, specifically, the sport providers process of meaning-making about children with ASD and sport as well as efforts to create adaptive outcomes for children with ASD in sport. The emergent model demonstrates that the ways in which sport providers perceived sport, children with ASD, and parents of children with ASD, are all relative to what is presumed normal. A duality is also evident, in that the perceptions of sport both challenge and reproduce what is normal. The findings of this study proved essential to identifying what is assumed about the meaning and experiences of children with ASD in sport. Recommendations for sport providers, methodology, and future research are offered.

Author dc:creator

• Magat, Joyce Rheanelle

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Nakamura, Yuka

• Sociology

Statement dc:rights

• Author owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10315/37433

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:yorkspace.library.yorku.ca:10315/37433