Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments
The impacts of scuba diving on people with physical impairments are unknown. Grounded on the social identity approach to health, the aim of this study was to test and describe the relationships between scuba diving social identity, self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health,...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/7/984 |
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| author | Tania Santiago Perez Brandi M. Crowe Patrick J. Rosopa Jasmine N. Townsend Michael R. Kaufman |
| author_facet | Tania Santiago Perez Brandi M. Crowe Patrick J. Rosopa Jasmine N. Townsend Michael R. Kaufman |
| author_sort | Tania Santiago Perez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The impacts of scuba diving on people with physical impairments are unknown. Grounded on the social identity approach to health, the aim of this study was to test and describe the relationships between scuba diving social identity, self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and disability level among recreational scuba divers with physical impairments. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was employed. The quantitative strand used an 80-item cross-sectional survey, with the data analyzed via a path analysis. The qualitative strand used 1:1 interviews across 3 case study groups; the data were analyzed using deductive and inductive analyses. Mixing occurred via a joint display with meta-inferences. The quantitative results (<i>n</i> = 78) indicated that self-efficacy was a significant predictor of social health, psychological health, physical health, HRQOL, and disability level. The qualitative findings (<i>n</i> = 15) consisted of six themes, whereby participants described scuba as a positive social identity that provides them with meaning, purpose, and belonging. Furthermore, they described scuba diving as a positive contributor to their self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, and quality of life. During the mixing of data, the quantitative and qualitative results did not match on the influence of scuba diving social identity on self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, HRQOL, and disability level. A further analysis revealed that the range restriction impaired the conclusive quantitative evidence on the scuba diving social identity variable. The meta-inferences derived from the data integration suggest that scuba diving plays a role in the self-efficacy, health, HRQOL, and disability level among scuba divers with physical impairments. The findings point to the potential of scuba diving as a health promotion recreational activity and rehabilitation modality for people with physical impairments. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:36:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1dca2943ff004e0085fae6277462b780 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:36:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-1dca2943ff004e0085fae6277462b7802023-11-17T16:43:46ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-03-0111798410.3390/healthcare11070984Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical ImpairmentsTania Santiago Perez0Brandi M. Crowe1Patrick J. Rosopa2Jasmine N. Townsend3Michael R. Kaufman4Recreational Therapy, Department of Counseling, Recreation & School Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St ZEB 336-A, Miami, FL 33199, USARecreational Therapy, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Clemson University, 105 Sirrine Hall, Clemson, SC 29631, USADepartment of Psychology, Clemson University, 410J Bracket Hall, Clemson, SC 29631, USARecreational Therapy, Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, Clemson University, 105 Sirrine Hall, Clemson, SC 29631, USATherapeutic Scuba Institute, 4001 SW 132nd Avenue, Miramar, FL 33027, USAThe impacts of scuba diving on people with physical impairments are unknown. Grounded on the social identity approach to health, the aim of this study was to test and describe the relationships between scuba diving social identity, self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and disability level among recreational scuba divers with physical impairments. A mixed methods explanatory sequential design was employed. The quantitative strand used an 80-item cross-sectional survey, with the data analyzed via a path analysis. The qualitative strand used 1:1 interviews across 3 case study groups; the data were analyzed using deductive and inductive analyses. Mixing occurred via a joint display with meta-inferences. The quantitative results (<i>n</i> = 78) indicated that self-efficacy was a significant predictor of social health, psychological health, physical health, HRQOL, and disability level. The qualitative findings (<i>n</i> = 15) consisted of six themes, whereby participants described scuba as a positive social identity that provides them with meaning, purpose, and belonging. Furthermore, they described scuba diving as a positive contributor to their self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, and quality of life. During the mixing of data, the quantitative and qualitative results did not match on the influence of scuba diving social identity on self-efficacy, social health, psychological health, physical health, HRQOL, and disability level. A further analysis revealed that the range restriction impaired the conclusive quantitative evidence on the scuba diving social identity variable. The meta-inferences derived from the data integration suggest that scuba diving plays a role in the self-efficacy, health, HRQOL, and disability level among scuba divers with physical impairments. The findings point to the potential of scuba diving as a health promotion recreational activity and rehabilitation modality for people with physical impairments.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/7/984adapted/adaptive scuba divingphysical impairment/disabilitysocial identityphysical healthsocial healthpsychological health |
| spellingShingle | Tania Santiago Perez Brandi M. Crowe Patrick J. Rosopa Jasmine N. Townsend Michael R. Kaufman Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments Healthcare adapted/adaptive scuba diving physical impairment/disability social identity physical health social health psychological health |
| title | Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments |
| title_full | Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments |
| title_fullStr | Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments |
| title_full_unstemmed | Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments |
| title_short | Diving into Health: A Mixed Methods Study on the Impact of Scuba Diving in People with Physical Impairments |
| title_sort | diving into health a mixed methods study on the impact of scuba diving in people with physical impairments |
| topic | adapted/adaptive scuba diving physical impairment/disability social identity physical health social health psychological health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/7/984 |
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