Sports Research

Use and customize these charts and graphs to help illustrate some key research findings.

• Chinese Youth Willingness to Interact with Students with ID (PDF): Youth in China who were surveyed before and after the 2007 World Games reported important increases in reporting a willingness to talk to a student with a disability during free time (up 8%) and willing to work together on a class project (up 9%).
• Family Perception of Athlete Improvement (PDF): Family members in Latin America perceived a great deal of improvement in athletes' sport skills, health and social relationships, among others.
• Overall Impact and Sports Research Key Findings Image (PDF): Download a jpeg of the key findings and associated sources.

Share evidence of Special Olympics’ impact through these summaries of Special Olympics research that include ready-to-share printouts designed for Programs.

• Best Stats for Sports (PDF): This one pager provides the most compelling data points about Special Olympics Sports in easy-to-use bullet points and infographics.
• Why Research Sports (PDF): As an organization that seeks to empower people with ID to achieve their personal best in all aspects of life, Special Olympics provides an opportunity for people with ID to demonstrate excellence, improve their physical fitness, and create relationships through sports.
• Impact of Sports Involvement (PDF): Special Olympics studies have shown that participating in Special Olympics sports has a positive impact on athletes and families in a variety of ways. Discover more about the impact of sport.
• Sports Research - Key Findings (PDF): Participating in sports has a variety of benefits. In one study, 94% of athletes reported improvements as a result of their participation in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Peru and China.
• World Games Research (PDF): Participating in World Games has been shown to positively influence the public's perception of people with ID's abilities.

Access research articles that go into more detail on some of the findings shared in the overview section.

• DOC DOES NOT EXIST - The 2011 Summer World Games Experience for Special Olympics Athletes and Coaches (PDF): This trans-national, longitudinal study of coaching was the first of its kind in Special Olympics and focused on Costa Rica, Greece, India and South Africa.
• A comprehensive national study of Special Olympics programs in China (PDF): This impact study evaluated Programs in each of the 31 Chinese provinces and found many athletes became involved through schools, athletes are serious in their endeavor to be physically fit and much more.
• A comprehensive national study of Special Olympics programs in Latin America (PDF): This study was designed to provide Special Olympics with a comprehensive view of athletes and their families, as well as begin to document the Latin American athlete’s Special Olympics experience. The findings include results from Argentina, Brazil and Peru.
• Comprehensive national study of Special Olympics programs in the U.S. (web page): The purpose of this study was to document demographic information about Special Olympics coaches and athletes in the United States, explore athletes' motivations for participating in and leaving Programs, and evaluate the impact participation has on various aspects of athlete well being.
• Changing Attitudes Change the World: A Report Card on the Impact of Special Olympics (PDF): This policy paper documents the impact of Special Olympics through a multi-legged study conducted in 2004, which included findings in the United States that more than 2/3 of athletes joined Special Olympics through a school-based program.
• Impact of the Special Olympics world games on the attitudes of youth in China (PDF): This study - one of the first to document Chinese youths' perceptions of their peers with ID - found results similar to trends found among youth in other countries such as the United States and Japan.
• Serving Athletes, Families, and the Community (PDF): Read this eight-page policy paper that shows the global impact of Special Olympics sports, such as social skills improvement by an average of 95% reported by families interviewed across China, Latin America, and the United States.
• The Positive Contributions of Special Olympics to the Family (web page): Findings from this qualitative study can be used to draw two conclusions: Special Olympics connects families and builds networks, as well as the organization provides athletes and families with normative life experiences that are critical to healthy development.