Dr. Viviene Temple
Position
Dr. Viviene Temple is a Professor in the School of Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education. Her research focuses on physical activity among children and adults with varying disabilities and the development of motor skills. Dr. Temple joined the Centre for Youth & Society in 2016 and has collaborated with Research Fellow Dr. PJ Naylor.
In her work on motor development, Dr. Temple strives to produce tangible evidence-based interventions for parents, care providers, and teachers that allow them to enhance the motor skills and/or physical activity levels of the children they work with. She is engaged in an 8-year longitudinal study of children’s physical development from kindergarten to grade 5. Knowledge mobilization and discrimination efforts are ongoing.
Since 2017, Dr. Temple has partnered with the Cowichan Therapeutic Riding Association (CTRA) to examine the health benefits of therapeutic riding in children. There are two areas of investigation that are of particular importance to the CTRA: physical and social benefits of therapeutic equestrian vaulting and the social connectedness arising from therapeutic riding. Dr. Temple and her team are working to document the best practices of equine-assisted therapies, including program objectives, processes, and activities. This work provides evidence of exemplary summer camp practice; evidence that has tangible benefits for the CTRA in marketing their programs and seeking funding to support programming. Additionally, the project serves the wider therapeutic riding and adapted physical activity communities by providing a resource to inform their own practices.
Recent publications
Temple, V.A. (2022). COVID-19 Pandemic and Individuals With Intellectual Disability: Special Olympics as an Example of Organizational Responses and Challenges. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 1-18. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.2021-0137
Lloyd, M., Dobranowski, K., Cheng, S.Y., Temple, V.A., Foley, J.T., Lunsky, Y., Lin, E., & Balogh, R. (2022). Matching Special Olympics registration data with administrative health databases: Feasibility and health status differences in children and youth with IDD. Disability and Health Journal, 101319. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dhjo.2022.101319
Field, S.C., Foley, J.T., Naylor, P.-J., & Temple, V.A. (2021). A Longitudinal Examination of the Accuracy of Perceived Physical Competence in Middle Childhood. Journal of Sport & Exercise Physiology, 43, S11-S11.
Emadirad, E., Temple, B.W.N., Field, S.C., Naylor, P.-J., & Temple, V.A. (2021). Motor Skills and Participation in Middle Childhood: A Direct Path for Boys, a Mediated Path for Girls. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 18(3), 318-324. https://doi.org/10.1123/jpah.2020-0296