1. INTRODUCTION:

The development of science and technology has made human life more abundant and enriching. However, the development of science and technology has also been a risk factor for various accidents and diseases¹. In particular, traffic accidents, industrial accidents, and various kinds of rare diseases lead to an increase in the number of people with disabilities, which impairs their body's functions and makes their life difficult². On the other hand, according to Article 26 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, rehabilitation means to provide proper and effective support to the disabled including the assistance from peer groups so that they can achieve and maintain full independence, in terms of physical, mental, social and vocational abilities, thus enabling them participate in all areas of life³.

Rehabilitation sports are physical activities intended for people with disabilities or people at risk of disabilities to help them live a healthy life by maintaining physical, emotional, and socially healthy state through voluntary activities. It can also be defined as physical activities in which people are grouped to restore the quality of life when they are in a deteriorated state due to a chronic illness or temporary pain caused by injury¹. In this rehabilitation sports, psychomotricity can have educational and therapeutic concepts to promote physical, mental and social activation through body movements⁴.

Psychomotricity mainly uses physical activities such as play, expressions and physical movements⁵. These days we see the increasing importance of physical activities through psychomotor programs⁶. The ultimate goal of the psychomotricity is to improve the voluntary and independent behaviors of the individuals, and it also aims to form a positive self-identity and self-confidence to improve the quality of life through the social experience in a group setting.

Therefore, this study examines attitudes and roles of psychomotricians as a rehabilitation sports leader and seeks opportunities for psychomotricians to establish themselves as rehabilitation sports leader.

2. RESEARCH METHODS:

2-1. Research procedure:

In this study, we collected data from interviews of psychomotor experts and conducted an in-depth analysis of the data through inductive content analysis. We also conducted peer-to-peer meetings to combine core topics and sub-content to derive research findings.

2-2. Collecting data:

In this study, we collected data from interviews using an open semi-structured questionnaire as shown on Table 1 for ten psychomotor lecturers and psychomotor experts from the Korea Psychometrician Association. The content validity of the open questionnaire used here has been verified and approved by several experts, including one professor in special physical education, two doctors in special physical education (psychology major and rehabilitation sport major), one doctor with specialty in German rehabilitation sport and psychomotricity.

Table 1: Open questionnaire

Questionnaire	Contents
1	What does the psychomotricity mean in Korea?
2	What physical activities should be recommended to people with disabilities?
3	What attitudes and roles should psychomotricians have?

2-3. Data analysis:

In this study, we analyzed the data through the inductive content analysis as introduced by Patton⁷. The data collected through the in-depth interviews was organized in a computer file to record it and make it easier to understand. The data was organized by the interviewee and repeatedly examined to select terms and sentences that can give meanings. Finally the data was categorized by similar themes, and the classified sentences were coded.

2-4. The authenticity of the study:

In the process of collecting and analyzing data, a variety of approaches were used to increase the validity and credibility of the study, The methods include the reflective subjectivity of data, multiple verification methods, review among members, and peer group consultation.

The researchers secured the authenticity of the research results through the consultation with peer researchers on classifying and interpreting the secondary data from the in-depth interviews.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

This study is based on the following questions: "What does psychomotricity mean in Korea?”,"What physical activities should be provided to a disabled person?”,"What attitudes and roles should psychomotricians have?” The results of the study can be described as follows:

3-1. The meaning of psychomotricity: in rehabilitation sports:

In the psychomotricity, the development of the physical movements and the treatment in rehabilitation are important factors. The core factors of psychomotricity also include transformation of the child's status in the aspects of emotion, cognition, and psychology through experiences in the surrounding environment. However, the psychomotricity should be understood not only from a therapeutic theory but from an educational theory because it helps the child's holistic development and growth in the first place. Although psychomotricity is applied therapeutically for children with sensormotor disturbance and behavioral problems, it can be helpful for all areas of child's development in physical and psychological aspects. The ultimate goal of the psychomotricity is to support people in a holistic way⁸.

Rehabilitation sports can be used as rehabilitation athletic activities carried out by a group of people in a place close to the residence to improve the physical functions of the disabled after the discharge from the primary hospital to prevent the deterioration of the disease. Participation in these activities increases the physical, emotional and social integration⁹.

Rehabilitation sport is an activity to help restore physical, mental, occupational, economic ability through physical activities. It is aimed at motivating the disabled people to be responsible for their own health and engage in continuous and voluntary sports activities¹⁰.

Health support is a process that allows everyone to set a higher standard for their health and have the ability to strengthen their health through this process. To achieve a comprehensive physical, mental, and social well-being, individuals, as well as groups, must be able to meet their own needs, recognize, realize their expectations and desire, and overcome challenges coming from their surroundings¹¹.

In the roles and value of rehabilitation sports, the first goals are to restore and improve physical functions, emotional satisfaction and social functions, maintain therapeutic effects, and prevent a secondary injury¹².

Rehabilitation sports involve continuous and voluntary athletic activities that can help improve physical, mental and social abilities through physical education for groups under the guidance of professional leaders. Considering the roles of the rehabilitation sports, psychomotricity is good for not only emotional development but also physical health, and is a worthy type of rehabilitation sports. In addition, psychomotricity helps children move voluntarily to prevent secondary injuries, thus enhancing and promoting emotional satisfaction, social improvement as well as the holistic development of them.

Psychomotricity has the same purposes and value as those of the rehabilitation sports in the sense of restoring their functions through various physical activities. Furthermore it can also help promote holistic development of children by promoting the development of physical, emotional and social performance of children through spontaneous physical activities.

In Korean, psychomotricity is widely used as medical treatment and educational means to recover the functions of the disabled and to improve their physical functions for rehabilitation. Especially, it supports the health of the children and the elderly and widely used at schools, education institutions and development support centers. Goals of Rehabilitation in Psychomotricity are shown in Table 2.

Table2: Goals of Rehabilitation in Psychomotricity.

Rehabilitation goals in the psychomotricity

1. Improve physical development, sense of movement and well-being

2. Intervene in the experience of success and interesting movement

3. Intervene in the fun/pleasure of mutual cooperation and movement to promote joy

4. Introduce group competition and support social competence, promoting group cohesion

5. Stimulate creativity and imagination

6. Promote self-motivation for regular exercise

7. Establish and strengthen compliance and create a good atmosphere

8. Improve self-confidence, reduce fear and oppression, and prevent social maladjustment

9. Endurance and coordination training

10. Accept responsibility for oneself and others

In this respect, the psychomotricity can bring about therapeutic effects through a variety of physical activities to improve physical fitness and physical functions, and maintain and enhance self-esteem of people with disability or at risk of disability. It is also effective in preventing diseases and secondary injuries. In addition, since psychomotricity can promote physical, emotional and social functions through rehabilitation sports, it has an important meaning in terms of the holistic development of the disabled.

3-2. Psychomotor programs: in rehabilitation sports:

Based on the basic principles of the psychomotricity, the psychomotricity in rehabilitation sports focuses on various experience activities which can be classified into three areas as shown on Table 3: body experience for self-formation, material experience for improvement of physical abilities, and social experience for improving social ability.

Table 3: Psychomotor programs for rehabilitation sports

Secondary elements	Primary elements	Core topics
Body schematics/body shapes	Body experience for self-formation	Psychomotor program
Body perception/awareness
Ability to move
Sports medicine
Memory
Tension and relaxation
Sensory movement
Exchange with things	Material experience
Using tools
Natural environment
Moving together (play)	Social experience
Conversation
Cooperative play with tools
Dance and sympathy

The program reflects the perspectives on humans and children as the core of psychomotricity theory in terms of teaching methodology. In addition, it emphasizes child autonomy, spontaneity, and creative activities at the time of treatment, in a manner of planned activities. Treatment time should be appropriately prepared considering the various contexts of the child and performed by structured procedures⁸.

3-2-1. Physical experience for self improvement:

Through their daily activities, children recognize their own body and experience their physical functions. Furthermore, the ability to control the body through movement also arises. It mainly involves learning about body sciences, self-image, and body concept through movement and perception activities.

1. Body perception and experience through physical movements

2. Experience your senses

3. Body consciousness, building the body schematics

4. Experience in a variety of physical expressions

3-2-2. Material experience for improvement of object related ability:

Learning situations are provided for the children to learn the functions of surrounding objects, recognize the properties of different objects, and identify their relevance and applicability. With a variety of things to deal with, children can adapt themselves to the nature of things, and experience self-regulation and dominate things themselves.

1. Experience the space around the world and the objects in it.

2. Study, test and examine the properties of materials through motions.

3. Adapt materials to oneself or transform materials to suit oneself.

3-2-3. Social experience to improve social skills:

Through collective activities, let children recognize others and solve given tasks to experience mutually harmonious coexistence. In the process of problem solving, self-efficacy is experienced to strengthen self-confidence. In some cases, children can learn the patience when frustrated in a competition between the groups, and observe the rules.

1. Communicate through body movements (social contacts by using the common rules of play)

2. Cooperate and compete with others through play

Psychomotricity is characterized as playful means and emphasizes pleasure and joy. So the program should be arranged to keep self-respect and induce self-motivation. In addition, it can be considered as an activity to raise social competence. For this purpose, the subjects are grouped for the program as in a basic form of rehabilitation sports, and various tools are used. Furthermore, it is important to experience the joy of movement first, prior to training or practice. Teachers should encourage children to participate in movement tasks voluntarily, thereby restoring physical and emotional functions, improving the overall motivation of life, and overcoming obstacles to return to society.

3-3. Attitudes and Roles of Psychomotricians:

About the attitudes and roles of the psychomotricians in rehabilitation sports, they should have patience, and warm and positive mindset as an assistant, correct understanding of disability and disease through observation, and expertise on rehabilitation sports as shown on Table 4.

Table 4: Attitudes and roles of psychomotricians in rehabilitation sports

Secondary elements	Primary elements	Core topics
Waiting	Mindset of psychomotricians	Attitudes and roles of psychomotricians
Positive belief
Warm heart
Correct understanding of disability and illness
Assistant's mindset
A sympathetic attitude
A companion and leader
Openness
Applying observation relationships and giving meanings	Expertise of psychomotricians
Mobility diagnosis and circumstances
Expertise and flexibility depending on the situation
Counselor
Relationship with hospitals and other institutions
Planning for therapeutic education
Organization
Supervision

3-3-1. Teacher's attitudes during a psychomotor program:

Psychomotricians must have openness in education and the ability to induce sufficient motivation. They also have to constitute an autonomous environment, offering options and scheduling opportunities. They need to have leadership in physical activities, and give rehabilitation sport participants the rights to make decisions and take responsibilities¹³.

The mindset of the psychomotricians can help him work as a talented leader when he is trying to connect an ideal human image with the purpose, support and companionship to achieve a harmonious goal. It can work as a basis for a psychomotrician to select and plan teaching contents and methods and build relationships with participants¹⁴.

Positive and efficient movement experiences enhance confidence and self-esteem. Positive self-concept development is an important point that develops through self-concept development and interaction with individuals and the surrounding world¹⁵.

Psychomotricians should encourage rehabilitation parties to play and act on their own and find answers by themselves to the structured tasks, helping them in a timely manner to gain a positive success experience through their achievements. Regardless of the abilities of rehabilitation parties concerned, psychomotricians must respect the value of individuals, and provide a safe and comfortable atmosphere¹⁶.

Tools, play equipment and various materials used in rehabilitation sports can be appealing and have symbolic meanings. Psychomotricians as rehabilitation sports leader can face the following challenges:

1. When the rehabilitation sports are targeted especially at children, it is necessary to pursue the connection of meaning in a narrative form through interactions.

2. Psychomotricians must always maintain an attitude of openness, curiosity, emotion, innocence, joy in discovery, and interests in others.

3. It is very important to believe that the starting point of a psychomotrician is to have a sense of commitment to understand others and that human development is always open and never ends growing. This attitude helps to gain a comprehensive understanding.

4. Psychomotricians should try to capture situations that can help them understand others.

5. Psychomotricians must maintain a certain level of concerns with the participants and maintain somewhat critical attitude towards the participants in order to understand them better.

6. Psychomotricians should identify subjects that can capture the child's life-history through body-centered movements and tasks in collaboration with the participants in rehabilitation sports.

7. Psychomotricians can often make suggestions to the participants to play rehabilitation sports with them, but do not make any interpretation or judgment.

8. Psychomotricians can work with the participants in rehabilitation sports to find appropriate tools, roles, situations, and areas of play. They can provide advice on topics, and ultimately act as play partners.

3-3-2. Roles of psychomotricians in rehabilitation sports:

The primary goal of rehabilitation sports is physical, mental and social recovery, which plays an important role in improving the overall quality of life and returning to society, as well as preventing secondary injuries. Playing the role of a facilitator as a rehabilitation sports leader, psychomotricians should perform the following to support the health of the rehabilitation parties:

1. Recognize the physical and psychological state of the rehabilitation sport parties through their body movements, and strengthen the physical and psychological defense ability as well as the health protection factor to support the ability to cope with the surrounding risk factors.

2. Identify the problems related with physical, emotional and social factors caused by disability or a chronic disease.

3. Strive for comprehensive and holistic support for optimal child development and health (preventing diseases) through experience-oriented instructions about body and physical movements.

4. In the study of disability and chronic illness, learn the effects of play, sports and physical movements to identify which of them can be most effective in preventing secondary disabilities.

5. Identify the physical activities that should be prohibited in the play, sports and movement of the rehabilitation parties. Support and encourage them to do physical activities.

6. Help individuals feel and experience themselves as competent and responsible actors in interactions with others through psychomotricity involving physical sensation, functional perception and social experience.

4. CONCLUSION:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the meaning of psychomotricity in rehabilitation sports and identify the tasks related with the attitudes and roles of psychomotricians.

With regard to the first research item of psychomotricity “the meaning of psychomotricity in rehabilitation sports”, psychomotricity is a good means to bring about therapeutic effects through a variety of physical activities to improve physical fitness and physical functions, and maintain and enhance self-esteem of people with disability or at risk of disability. In addition, since psychomotricity can promote physical, emotional and social functions through rehabilitation sports, it has an important meaning in terms of the holistic development of the disabled.

As the second research item of psychomotricity, “the psychomotricity in rehabilitation sports” is based on the basic principles of the psychomotricity and focuses on various experience activities which can be classified into three areas: physical experience for improvement of self-abilities, substance experience for improvement of physical abilities, and social experience for improving social ability.

In terms of the last research item, “attitudes and roles of psychomotricians as a leader of rehabilitation sports", psychomotricians construct a large framework of rehabilitation sports schedules and install necessary equipment, but act mainly as assistant in each session.

In the rehabilitation sports class, the pursuit and discovery of the common goals between the psychomotricians and rehabilitation parties begins entirely with the issues that are "unfamiliar" and "difficult to understand". The patients’ experience of pain, lethargy, and limits in rehabilitation requires new and constant understanding, thus psychomotricians can work as a communicator to develop their understanding. The internal expansion of rehabilitation or healing results from the desire to understand the things that have not been understood so far. Therefore, discovery and understanding the meaning of rehabilitation is the key to the relationship between the psychomotricians and the rehabilitation parties.

The rehabilitation sports presented in this study are designed to provide diversified support to the rehabilitation parties. To this end, psychomotricity can play a role as a means for rehabilitation. I expect that this study will provide a good opportunity to promote the development of psychomotricity.

5. REFERENCES:

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Received on 11.08.2018 Modified on 14.10.2018

Research J. Pharm. and Tech. 2019; 12(4):1619-1624.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2019.00270.1