Benefits of Special Olympics

A Yale University study released in June 1995 confirmed what everyone associated with Special Olympics has been saying all along: Special Olympics measurably enhances the lives of those who participate. The results of the study suggest that Special Olympics has a direct and positive effect on the self-image of participating athletes and their ability to function in a social setting.

According to the study, Special Olympics athletes perform better at school, at work, and at home the longer they participate in the program. The study measured such social competency skills as the ability to live independently, hold a job, participate in community activities, and develop close friendships.

Released on the eve of the 1995 Special Olympics World Games, the Yale study is the first scientific study to focus on the social and emotional goals of the Special Olympics program rather than physical fitness and sports achievement. The study compared athletes who actively competed in Special Olympics games against a control group of people with intellectual disabilities who were not involved in the program.

"This study offers new insight on how Special Olympics provides an opportunity for athletes to develop their social growth," said Elisabeth M. Dykens, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Yale Child Study Center, who conducted the study with the center's director, Donald J. Cohen, M.D. "Furthermore, the result of this study show that, in addition to the real physical benefits of Special Olympics, the program offers a vehicle for social integration and accomplishment among its active participants."