Abstract

This systematic review surveyed the current state of research on the participation of children and young adults with disabilities in physical activity during leisure time. For the preparation of the systematic review, thematically relevant keywords were compiled, and established databases and datasets were searched for suitable German- and English-language articles from the years 2010 to 2020. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria, relevant studies were selected and assessed through a three-stage screening process. The database search identified 73,350 articles, of which 48 articles contained content relevant to the research question. The evaluation of included studies revealed that participation in physical activity is influenced by factors such as physical fitness, structure of the social and family environment, availability of activity opportunities, and accessibility of support services. Current research results indicate that children and young people with disabilities exercise less than their peers without disabilities. To counteract this, further measures to improve participation, such as barrier-free accessibility and the establishment of inclusive physical activity programs, are needed. Future studies should take the form of representative surveys, longitudinal studies, and international comparisons to strengthen the relevance of the topic.