Understanding Exercise Dependence in Disabled Athletes: A Critical Evaluation of Measurement Reliability

Purpose: The present study aims to examine the level of exercise addiction among individuals with disabilities, an issue that is often neglected in the literature. Furthermore, the research seeks to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Exercise Addiction Scale (EDS) within this specific population. Method: 80 disabled athletes (39 female, 41 male) who have been actively involved in sports clubs for at least three years were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 29.33±11.17. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional scanning design within the framework of a descriptive research model, and the universe of the study consisted of all sports clubs serving disabled individuals in the Çukurova region. Tekkurşun et al.'s Exercise Addiction Scale (EAS), adapted to Turkish by the club trainers, was used to collect data. The scale was delivered to all participants through club trainers, and data was collected face-to-face. The first part of the data collection tool was the consent form, the second part was the form that questioned demographic information, disability status, and sports habits, and the third part was the Exercise Addiction Scale, consisting of 17 items. Cronbach's alpha (reliability coefficient) of the scale was found to be 0.796 (low); however, when some items that were not suitable for disabled individuals were removed, the Cronbach's alpha value was found to be 0.818 (sufficient). Findings: 46.3% of the participants stated that they started sports for professional or social reasons. Hearing-impaired individuals, unlike other disability groups, did not state social participation as the reason for starting sports. The average EBÖ score of disabled individuals, regardless of the type of disability, was found to be 47.02±8.02; this indicates that disabled individuals may experience exercise addiction. There was no significant difference in terms of exercise addiction between the disability groups (p=0.188). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that athletes with disabilities can develop exercise addiction; however, a revision to the current scale is necessary to evaluate exercise addiction in disabled individuals. Raising awareness of exercise addiction within disabled sports disciplines may contribute to the early identification and prevention of this emerging issue.