Individuals with physical disabilities are significantly less likely to participate in sport or physical activity than those without disabilities. For those with disabilities who engage in sport or physical activity, the benefits can be seen in the physical and psychosocial domains and are equal to or in some cases more important to maintain quality of life for individuals with disabilities compared to persons without a disability.

The following papers have been published with a focus on understanding and promoting the psychosocial and health benefits of sport participation for individuals with physical disabilities.

• Yao, A., & Shapiro, D. R., (2025). Sport commitment in Taiwanese para-athletes. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity. 
• De Luna-Vazquez, W., Shapiro, D.R., & Moreno, A. (2024). Coaching Behaviors in Goalball: Perceptions of Athletes with Visual Impairments. International Sport Coaching Journal. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2024-0028.
• Wilson, K.E, & Shapiro, D.R. (2024). Program reach and motivational correlates of exercise behavior among program participants with visual impairment. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.
• Sur, MH., Shapiro, D.R., & Martin, J.J. (2024). Impact of sport engagement and social support on health-related quality of life of youth athletes with physical disabilities. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1123/jcsp.2023-0058.
• Yao, A., Shapiro, D.R. (2024). An examination of the sport commitment model for athletes with physical disabilities. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 131(3), 971-988. https://doi.org/10.1177/00315125241244471
• Hu, T**., Cottingham, M., Shapiro, D. R., & Lee, D. (2023). Promote the ‘wow”: (mis)representation, perception and reception of media promotion on wheelchair rugby. International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship, 24(3), 470-484. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-03-2022-0060
• Sur, MH*, & Shapiro, D.R. (2022). A Comparative Review of the Theory of Planned Behavior for Adults with Physical Disabilities. European Journal of Adapted Physical Activity. 15(1). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101199.
• Sur, M.*, & Jung, J., Shapiro, D. R. (2022). Theory of planned behavior to promote physical activity of adults with physical disabilities: Meta-analytic structural equation modeling. Disability and Health Journal, 15(1). Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2021.101199
• Yun, JK., Sur, MH*., Shapiro, D.R. (2021). Physical activity promotion for school-age children with disabilities. Teaching Exceptional Children, 54(1), 45-51 https://doi.org/10.1177/00400599211041687.
• Barfield, A., & Shapiro, D. R. (2020) Wheelchair basketball exercise intensity in youth. Journal of Physical Activity Research, 5(1) 49-55 DOI:10.12691/jpar-5-1-10.
• Shapiro, D. R. (2020). A Preliminary Look at a Collegiate Intramural Wheelchair Basketball Season on Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviors of Participants without Disabilities. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 26, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhlste.2019.100231