A comparison of physical education content priorities if teachers and health professionals for individuals with traumatic brain injury

Abstract

Due to the diversity of characteristics of students with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) a team of professionals is needed to address a wide variety of health conditions. Because of this many students with TBI may require specially designed physical education. The movement concerns addressed within adapted physical education may involve any part or all of the physical education curriculum content. To determine which physical activities best serve students with TBI a comparison of physical education content priorities was conducted among adapted and general physical educators (n = 122), physical therapists (n = 51) and medical personnel (n = 20). Online surveys evaluated perceptions of physical education content priority areas, emphasis placed on affective domain areas, and level of communication among these professionals. Results indicated that the three groups agreed strongly on the top two content areas, Balance and Gait Training (1) and Body and Spatial Awareness (2), and the two lowest ranked areas, individual (10) and team sports (11). Medical personnel differed strongly in three other content areas, most notably Transitioning from School-based to Community Based Physical Activity, compared to the adapted and general physical educators and physical therapists. All three groups agreed on the top affective area of Self-Esteem.