Sitting volleyball and inclusion: An emotional and relational analysis in a lower secondary school

This study explores the effectiveness of sitting volleyball as a pedagogical tool for promoting school inclusion and emotional well-being among students with and without physical disabilities in a lower secondary school. Involving 40 students, divided into an experimental and a control group (both with an equal representation of students with motor disabilities), the research adopts a mixed methodological approach, combining quantitative tools (EQ-i:YV and SADI scale) and qualitative tools (semi-structured interviews). The educational intervention consisted of a 12-week programme based on sitting volleyball, designed with cooperative and inclusive goals. The results show a significant increase in emotional self-awareness, sense of belonging and quality of interpersonal relationships in the experimental group compared to the control group, confirming the transformative impact of adapted sport in school settings. The study highlights the need to rethink school physical education practices in an inclusive way and proposes sitting volleyball as a virtuous model of relational and participatory education.