Assessing Aquatic Readiness as a Health-Enhancing Measure in Young Swimmers with Physical Disabilities: The Revised Aquatic Independence Measure (AIM-2)

Abstract

Based on the well-established health outcomes associated with the aquatic environment, this study aimed to evaluate the validity of the Aquatic Independence Measure-Revised (AIM-2). The original scale comprised twenty-three skills, graded on a five-point proficiency scale. A sample of one hundred eight young swimmers with disabilities, who had completed at least two years of training, was assessed by their coaches, generating a dataset of four thousand nine hundred sixty-eight scores. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and internal consistency measures were applied to validate the scale's structure, resulting in the extraction of three factors accounting for sixty-four percent of the variance, based on thirteen original items. Two independent experts established interrater reliability in twenty-two participants. Additionally, divergent validity was examined across participants' years of swim-training experience across three disability severity categories, gender, and two age groups. Significant differences were found in skill acquisition based on years of experience and disability severity. The results indicate that the AIM-2 effectively assesses swimming readiness in young swimmers with disabilities. Coaches can use it to monitor progress, optimize training, and support the health benefits of aquatic activities for children and adolescents with disabilities.

Keywords: learn to swim; motor function; motor tests; physical disability; training.

Figure 1

Scree plot for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of the AIM-2 scale.

Figure 2

Advanced skills: means by year and age group.