Development of the SAFE Model for Survival Swimming Lessons Among Elementary Students with Aquaphobia

Abstract

Drowning remains a significant cause of preventable mortality among children, highlighting the importance of survival swimming education. However, children with aquaphobia may experience fear and anxiety that limit their participation in conventional swimming instruction. This study aimed to develop and validate the SAFE Model for survival swimming instruction among elementary students with aquaphobia. The model was developed through a review of relevant literature, an investigation of factors associated with aquaphobia, and interviews with seven professionals in swimming instruction. The preliminary model was subsequently reviewed by five experts in physical education to establish content validity using the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC). The SAFE Model was designed to integrate survival swimming and water-safety knowledge with developmentally appropriate learning experiences addressing the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains. The accompanying evaluation instruments comprised the SAFE Model assessment checklist, focused observations, and a post-training questionnaire on students’ learning experiences. Expert evaluation indicated strong congruence between the proposed instructional components and their intended objectives, supporting the content validity of the model and its evaluation instruments.       The resulting SAFE Model provides a structured instructional framework for promoting water-safety knowledge, positive engagement with aquatic activities, and progressive development of fundamental survival swimming skills among elementary students with aquaphobia. Further empirical research is recommended to evaluate the effectiveness of the SAFE Model on students’ swimming competencies, water-related confidence, and survival skills.