Author(s): Divij Gugnani and Ashish Phulkar

Abstract:
Agoraphobic fears are often heightened when mobility is restricted and everyday environments are experienced as difficult to navigate, a concern that is particularly salient for women with limb-related physical impairments. The present study examined whether regular participation in sport is associated with reduced agoraphobic tendencies in this population. Thirty women aged 18-28 years with physical limb-related impairments who did not rely on a wheelchair for routine mobility were selected through purposive sampling. The sample comprised fifteen para-athletes who had competed in running (athletics) or shooting events at a minimum of the district level and fifteen non-athletes with comparable impairments but no involvement in organised sports or training. Agoraphobia was assessed using a standardised scale, and data were analysed using descriptive statistics and an independent-samples t-test. Women in the athlete group showed markedly lower agoraphobia scores (M = 0.85, SD = 0.18; “none” category) than their non-athlete counterparts (M = 1.56, SD = 0.31; “mild” range), a difference that was highly significant (t = -7.52, p

DOI: 10.22271/kheljournal.2025.v12.i6g.4129

Pages: 465-470  |  160 Views  67 Downloads

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