The study of adapted sports and sport psychology has gained increasing insight for both the general public and the scientific community. However, there is a limited number of studies that compare the psychological characteristics of Athletes with Disabilities (AWD) and Able-Bodied Athletes (ABA). The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the psychological characteristics between AWD and ABA; (2) to analyze sports expertise (inexperienced vs. experts) and the type of sport (individual vs. team). A quantitative study with an associative-comparative design was conducted, involving 200 athletes of both sexes (Mage = 28.6 ± 10.2). Out of the total participants, 88 were AWD (Mage = 34.7 ± 10.7) and 114 were ABA (Mage = 23.8 ± 6.6). The results, obtained through factorial ANOVA, revealed that AWD are more motivated and exhibit better team cohesion compared to ABA. These findings remained consistent even when considering expertise and type of sport. These results contribute to raising awareness about biased or stereotypical views and promoting increased sports participation within the AWD community. In conclusion, there are differences in motivation and team cohesion favoring AWD.
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