Unified Sports, Social Inclusion, and Athlete-Reported Experiences: A Systematic Mixed-Studies Review

Inclusive sports have emerged as a potential tool for building social inclusion within diverse populations. The Special Olympics Unified Sports programs are an example of inclusion initiatives specific to students with intellectual disability and sports that can be reevaluated with new understandings of inclusion. This systematic mixed studies review aimed to capture athlete Unified Sports experiences and identify what athletes reported about their participation. The systematic review identified nine original studies conducted by six unrelated research groups. Results across the studies are synthesized and suggestions for future research are presented. Athletes in all nine studies reviewed reported positive experiences with Unified Sports leading to increased social inclusion and/or self-concepts.