Influence of competition level and sport type on quality experiences of athletes with a physical disability

The Quality Parasport Participation Framework suggests that conditions within the sport context influence the subjective experiences Para athletes derive from sport and their overall well-being. However, there is a paucity of research exploring the relationship between sport characteristics and Para athletes' experience. In this study, we examined the influence of competition level and sport type on the six building blocks of quality participation (QP): autonomy, belongingness, challenge, engagement, mastery and meaning. National, cross-sectional data from a study of N=274 adults (Mage=44.09±14.17; 62.0% men) who participate in sport and identify as living with a physical disability were analyzed. Participants' sport involvement was characterized according to sport type (individual; team) and competition level (recreational; competitive; elite). The six aspects of QP were assessed using the Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation (MeEAP). A one-way MANOVA exploring group differences in the building blocks by competition level was statistically significant (F12,534=2.21, V=0.094, p=0.01, ?p2=0.47). Post-hoc tests revealed significant differences between competition groups solely in the aspect of autonomy (F2,271=7.74, p=0.001, ?p2=0.054). Participants in the competitive (M=4.76±1.61; p