The relationship between sport result and pre-competition mental state of 109 boccia athletes was analyzed. Mental state was described by: athletic identity, self-esteem, self-efficacy for sports, hope for success, fear of failure, anxiety, and expectancy of success. Correlation analyses were made for all four boccia classes (BC1, BC2, BC3, and BC4) and revealed that only athletic identity was associated with sport result in class BC4. Four hierarchical multiple regression models (for BC1, BC2, BC3, and BC4 boccia classes) were created, with sport result as the dependent variable. Only the BC4 model was significant and included athletic identity, anxiety, self-efficacy for sports, and expectancy of success, which explained 49% of variance in sport result. BC4 class results indicate that psychological variables have a potential impact on sport performance in boccia, and the type and level of disability should be taken into account.

While the motivations of individuals without impairments for participating in mass running events are well-documented, there is a lack of current research exploring why people with physical disabilities engage in these events. This study aims to identify the motives for participation among people with physical disabilities, taking into account factors such as sex, age (emerging adults vs. middle-aged adults), time since injury or illness, and mode of movement during the run (wheelchair vs. standing). In total, 119 participants (51.3% male; mean age of 36 years) completed the Polish version of the Motivations of Marathoners Scale questionnaire. The study was carried out using the diagnostic survey method. Online survey forms were sent to 31 organizations from the Greater Poland region, including sports clubs for individuals with disabilities and runners' clubs open to both individuals with and without disabilities. This study uncovered distinct motivational differences based on age and mode of movement during the run. For participants aged under 35 compared to those over 35, significant differences were noted in the motives of recognition (Z = - 2.834, p = 0.005) and affiliation (Z = - 2.534, p = 0.011). Similarly, when comparing wheelchair users with standing participants, notable disparities were observed in motives related to weight (Z = - 5.109, p = < 0.001) and personal goal achievement (Z = - 2.613, p = 0.009). There was also a significant positive relationship between the time since injury or illness and five out of nine subscales of the Motivations of Marathoners Scale (i.e. affiliation: r = 0.256, p = 0.007; recognition: r = 0.239, p = 0.011). The study found no significant differences in the motivations between men and women with physical disabilities for participating in mass running events. When organizing and promoting running events for people with physical disabilities, it is important to consider factors such as the age of runners, time since injury, and mode of movement during the run. Additionally, it should be noted that no significant differences are found based on gender, indicating that both male and female participants are driven by similar motivations when it comes to participating in these events.

Introduction: Children with intellectual disability tend to exhibit lower performance in fundamental movement skills, such as locomotor skills, object control skills, and balance, compared to their typically developing peers. Evidence suggests that physical activity programs tailored for individuals with intellectual disabilities can positively influence the development of their motor skills. Similar to typically developing children, physical activity in children with intellectual disabilities stimulates not only physical development, but also brain function, resulting in cognitive benefits. However, the extent of physical activity’s impact on the cognitive functioning of this population remains insufficiently explored. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of a motor exercise program based on the Bilateral Integration method implemented for pupils with moderate intellectual disabilities.Methods: The sample consisted of 27 pupils with moderate intellectual disability (13 in the intervention group and 14 in the control group) from two special schools in Poland. Pupils in the intervention group participated in a modified version of the Bilateral Integration School Program - a 26-week physical activity program that included both individual and group sessions. The assessment of cognitive functioning, using the Fifth Edition of the Stanford–Binet Intelligence Subtests, was conducted over three time points in both groups: a pre-test before the intervention (T1), a post-test after the intervention phase end (T2) and a follow-up assessment three months after the post-test (T3).Results: Significant effects of the intervention compared to the control group were observed in certain cognitive variables. Repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant group-by-time interaction for the Nonverbal Visual-Spatial Processing score, Nonverbal Working Memory score, as well as Verbal Fluid Reasoning.Discussion: The original program based on the Bilateral Integration method proved effective for pupils with moderate intellectual disability. Preliminary results indicate improvements in cognition, particularly in working memory and visual-spatial processing. Further studies are necessary to assess the program’s efficacy comprehensively.

Objective. This study assesses and compares the mental health status of people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) in Poland during the second wave of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic (November 2020) to a similar group whose mental health status was examined in November 2017. It also analyzed the psychological resources such as self-efficacy and health locus of control (HLC) and their relationship to mental health in both groups. Methods. Cross-sectional study included two groups of PwMS with 113 respondents each. The respondents completed the General Health Questionnaire-12 and questionnaires for assessing self-efficacy and HLC. The clinical and demographic data of participants were also collected. Results. No differences in mental health status were observed between the studied groups. A hierarchical regression model of the group studied in 2020 revealed that general self-efficacy (β = −0.21, p = 0.032), HLC—internal (β = −0.21, p = 0.035), and education (β = −0.18, p = 0.048) explained 18% of the variance in the mental health of PwMS, whereas according to the model of the group assessed in 2017 self-efficacy (β = –0.31, p < 0.001), HLC—chance (β = 0.45, p < 0.001), and HLC—internal (β = −0.37, p < 0.001) explained 48% of the variance. Conclusions. Study results suggest that the pandemic and the related lockdown had no effect on the mental health status of PwMS. At the same time, it was noted that well known determinants of mental health such as self-efficacy and HLC seemed to retain their prominent role for mental functioning in the pandemic.