Impact of adapted physical education and para-athletics on mental skills and on pedagogical and school inclusion of teenagers with disabilities

Introduction: This study examines the influence of the integration of two adapted programs (adapted physical education and para-athletics) on the mental abilities and of motor-disabled students. Objective: The objective is to identify strategies to promote effective inclusion in educational environments, particularly in physical education. Methodology: The study was conducted with 96 pupils with motor disabilities (14-18 yrs), enrolled in public schools in Morocco. In accordance with the provisions stipulated by the Para Athletics classification, the categorization of disability classes was divided into three distinct groups. The participants were randomly divided into 3 groups. The 1st group(control) does not possess a defined program; in the 2nd group, subjects followed an APE program comprising 24 sessions over a 3-month period. The 3rd group benefited from the same APE-para-athletics program (24 sessions) and inclusive competitions. Assessments were conducted before and after the intervention. The OMSAT-4 Mental Ability Scale and the Sense of School (SSIS) Pedagogical Inclusion (SPIS) were employed for the assessment of the participants. Results: The control-group demonstrated no statistically significant change, with some variables exhibiting a decline. The APE-program yielded significant improvements in basic skills, including commitment (+50.16%), as well as psychosomatic skills such as stress reaction (+35.67%). The group that received the APE-Para-athletics combination exhibited the most notable outcomes (p<.05), displaying a pronounced enhancement in all competencies, including stress reaction (+84.39%) and concentration (+75.44%). Conclusions: The integration of APE-Para-athletics programs has been demonstrated to significantly enhance the mental skills and sense of inclusion of motor-disabled students.