Author(s): PARK, S., Institution: GACHON UNIVERSITY, Country: KOREA, SOUTH, Abstract-ID: 1048

Background: Children with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) are an underserved and often overlooked population in sport and exercise science. Positioned between typical development and intellectual disability, they frequently experience challenges in motor competence, physical activity participation, and social inclusion. Although physical activity supports developmental outcomes, few theory-driven interventions explicitly address the multi-level ecological factors shaping their experiences, contributing to their continued invisibility within research and practice.
Purpose: This study aims to develop a theory-driven physical activity program for children with BIF by applying ecological systems theory as a guiding framework to structure program design across individual, interpersonal, and environmental levels.
Methods: This multi-phase program development study included: (1) a comprehensive review of literature on BIF, motor development, and physical activity; (2) expert consultations with specialists in exercise rehabilitation, special education, and child development to identify key ecological influences on participation across system levels; and (3) an ecological mapping process translating these findings into a structured program aligning activity content, pedagogical strategies, and contextual supports with microsystem and mesosystem components.
Results: Key program components are organised across ecological levels. At the individual level, progressive activities target fundamental motor skills, balance, coordination, and self-regulation. At the interpersonal level, peer interaction and guided social engagement are integrated to strengthen reciprocal interactions and enhance motivation and inclusion. At the environmental level, family involvement and school-based contexts are incorporated to promote continuity, accessibility, and contextual embeddedness of physical activity participation. Expert feedback indicates strong theoretical coherence between ecological system levels and pedagogical elements, with high applicability in educational and rehabilitation settings.
Conclusion: By conceptualising physical activity participation as ecologically embedded, this study advances sport pedagogy beyond individual skill acquisition toward a context-sensitive and inclusive educational model. The proposed framework makes children with BIF visible within physical activity research and provides a theoretically grounded foundation for ecologically informed and inclusive physical education practice.