ATTITUDES AND SELF-EFFICACY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHERS TOWARDS THE INCLUSION: STUDY FOCUSED ON THE LISBON REGION – PORTUGAL

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to analyze the attitude and self-efficacy of Portuguese Physical Education (PE) teachers, to determine the relationship between PE teachers’ attitudes and self-efficacy regarding the inclusion of students with disabilities, and to evaluate the effect of independent variables (gender, length of teaching service, additional training in Inclusive PE and teaching students with disabilities in PE classes and School Sports) on the dimensions of attitudes and in the dimensions of self-efficacy. One hundred and fifteen Portuguese PE teachers participated in the study. To analyze the attitudes, the Portuguese version of the Multidimensional Attitudes to Inclusive Education was used, and the Portuguese version of the Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Education Teacher Education Majors towards Children with Disabilities was used. The results indicated that, in general, PE teachers show more positive attitudes in the behavioral dimension and are more confident in teaching students with intellectual disabilities. Positive relationships were identified between the different dimensions of attitudes and self-efficacy. In the comparative analysis of attitudes and self-efficacy, statistically, differences were observed in the cognitive and intellectual disability dimensions in the variable “additional training in inclusive PE” and the intellectual and visual disability dimensions in the variable “Teaching students with disabilities”. Overall, participants reported positive attitudes and are confident about the inclusion of students with disabilities in PE classes. Future research should compare attitudes and self-efficacy before and after a practical intervention program at the level of inclusive PE.