著者

中村 真博

出版者

公益財団法人 日本財団パラリンピックサポートセンター

雑誌

日本財団パラリンピックサポートセンターパラリンピック研究会紀要 (ISSN:24326100)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.14, pp.63-94, 2020 (Released:2020-11-12)

参考文献数

37

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A variety of Para sports-related activities, including events to experience Para sports, have been launched since the selection of Tokyo as the host city for the 2020 Paralympic Games.Previous Japanese research on Para sports-related experiences and their impact includes studies on changes in student awareness through classes at educational institutions, studies on changes in the awareness of those who engaged in specific Para sports, and studies that aim to identify able-bodied people’s subconscious attitudes toward and awareness about people with disabilities. These studies have shown that interaction with people with disabilities and experiences with Para sports have a positive impact on able-bodied people’s awareness about and attitudes toward people with disabilities. However, since the studies have a limited scope, they do not necessarily offer an overall picture of society. Therefore, research that does not limit its scope to a specific Para sport or to awareness and attitudes in psychological terms is required, and it should be conducted based on a consideration of what distinguishes Para sports from a broad perspective. This study aims to examine the relationship between Para sports and inclusion awareness through a nationwide, randomized online survey and to shed light on the impact of experiences with Para sports on inclusion awareness.The study first examines how the relationship between Para sports and inclusion awareness is understood by the government and various organizations that hold events involving Para sports experiences. Then, an online survey was conducted based on the hypothesis that engagement in Para sports has a positive impact on knowledge acquisition, awareness raising, actual behavior, and social image. The online survey showed that awareness about words related to an inclusive society was higher among respondents who had experiences with Para sports than those who did not, and that for most respondents their experiences of Para sports had involved watching Para sports on TV or in person. The survey also showed that respondents who had experiences with Para sports had a more positive image of Para sports and were more inclined to help people with disabilities than those who had no experiences with Para sports, although further verification is required due to a low level of connection among these aspects. On the other hand, the survey indicated that experiences with Para sports were not related to how respondents viewed disability (social model or individual model) or how they viewed today’s society and an ideal society.These findings lend some support to the working hypothesis presented in this study. The selection of Tokyo as the host city for the 2020 Paralympic Games has led to more opportunities to develop experiences with Para sports. Hopefully, these opportunities will continue to be provided even after the Paralympic Games and lead to the development of inclusion awareness among able-bodied people. This study predominantly focuses on analyzing the relationship between experiences with Para sports and inclusion awareness; therefore, future goals include exploring how interaction (or lack thereof) with people with disabilities and experiences other than engagement in Para sports impact inclusion awareness.