C HAPTER 5
Barriers to Recreation Participation

B ARRIER VS . C ONSTRAINTS
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Stop or inhibit participation
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Move to concept of constraints over last couple of decades

M OST C OMMON C ONSTRAINTS ??
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What constraints do you experience in your leisure participation?
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2 most often cited by general population??

H IERARCHICAL T YPOLOGY OF
C ONSTRAINTS (C RAWFORD AND G ODBEY )
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Intrapersonal (within person: fear, lack of confidence, lack of energy, etc.)
Interpersonal (between people: time schedules, different interests, lack of someone with whom to participate, etc.)
Structural (outside of person: lack of accessibility, attitude, etc.)
Must solve intrapersonal, interpersonal, and then structural (order)

C ONSTRAINTS N EGOTIATION (J ACKSON ,
C RAWFORD , AND G ODBEY , 1993)
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People negotiate constraints—participation is not necessarily stopped or inhibited
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Constraint Negotiation Strategies:
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 behavioral (approx 90 – 95 percent) cognitive (approx 5 – 10 percent) combination of both strategies

C ONSTRAINTS AND PWD
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PWD experience same/similar constraints as do persons without disabilities; however, pwd may experience these constraints in an intensified manner and may have additional constraints specifically related to disability

T YPES OF B ARRIERS
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Intrinsic Barriers are constraints that result from an individual’s own physical, emotional, or cognitive limitations.
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Environmental Barriers are composed of many external forces that are imposed on the individual by societal or natural conditions.

I NTRINSIC B ARRIERS
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Lack of Knowledge
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Individuals are unable to recognize their maximum level of leisure functioning because they lack essential knowledge of programs, facilities, and other recreation/leisure resources.
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Why/How does this happen?
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Solutions?

I NTRINSIC B ARRIERS
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Social Ineffectiveness
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Individuals display ineffective social skills and inappropriate behavior in social situations due to parental overprotection, segregation from peers without disabilities, and inadequate feedback on social situations.
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Results in a depression/isolation/depression cycle
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Solutions?

I NTRINSIC B ARRIERS
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Health Problems
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Some types of disabilities present recurring health problems which can make participation in certain activities very limited.
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Does every person with a disability have healthrelated problems?
Contraindications
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Solutions?

I NTRINSIC B ARRIERS
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Physical and Psychological Dependency
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Occurs when persons with disabilities do not achieve independent functioning, not due to the actual impact of their disability, but to “learning” to be dependent by being overprotected and/or over assisted by others
Physical dependence occurs when someone does “too” much for persons with disabilities—tasks the he or she could do for him/herself
Psychological dependence becomes “internalized oppression” and does not foster initiative, creative thought, risk-taking, and perseverance in action
Learned helplessness results
Can be specific or global

I NTRINSIC B ARRIERS
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Skill/Challenge Gap
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Occurs when the challenge presented by an activity does not match the skills of the participant
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If challenge is high and skill is low: anxiety occurs
If challenge is low and skills are high: boredom occurs
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Why/How does this occur specific to persons with disabilities?
Solutions?

E NVIRONMENTAL B ARRIERS
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Attitudinal Barriers
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1)
2)
3)
Behaviors, which may be exhibited by family, friends, or strangers, are broken down into three categories:
Negative behaviors inform the individual that he or she has less value than a person who does not have a disability.
Paternalistic behaviors occur when people treat adolescents/adults with a disability like they are children.
Apathetic behaviors take place when people without a disability do not portray feelings of sympathy, understanding, or caring toward people who have a disability.
Which behaviors can be changed?

E NVIRONMENTAL B ARRIERS
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Architectural Barriers
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Structures such as buildings and walkways that present an obstacle for people with disabilities.
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Solution?
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Ecological Barriers
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Physical obstacles, such as hills, trees, sand, and rain, that occur in the natural environment.
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Solutions?

E NVIRONMENTAL B ARRIERS
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Transportation Barriers
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The lack of usable/affordable transportation for individuals with a disability can prevent individuals from participating in community resources.
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Solutions?
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Economic Barriers
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Financial restrictions caused by limited job opportunities, low-paying positions, and high cost for special transportation and assistance for people with disabilities.
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Solutions?

E NVIRONMENTAL B ARRIERS
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Rules and Regulations Barrier
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When existing rules and regulations of an agency inhibit or stop recreation participation by persons with disabilities
Examples in text
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Solutions?

E NVIRONMENTAL B ARRIERS
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Barriers of Omission
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Failure of society to provide for the needs of individuals who have disabilities.
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Failure to provide accessible facilities, failure to advertise programs, failure to make accommodations, etc.
Solutions?