ABSTRACT
Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise on the anxiety of adolescents with intellectual disability
Methods: Study method was quasi-experimental with pretest-posttest design and a control group. The study population included all secondary students with intellectual disability in Shiraz City in the academic year 2012-2013. The sample size consisted of 30 secondary students with intellectual disability selected by available sampling method. They were randomly divided into experimental and control groups [15 students in each group]. Both groups took the pretest. The experimental group received exercise training in 8 sessions while control group did not. After completion of intervention period, the posttest was administered for both groups. The Zung self-rating anxiety scale was administered to assess the anxiety
Results: The data analyses by analysis of covariance ANCOVA and multivariate analysis of covariance [MANCOVA] showed that the mean scores of anxiety and its subscales [emotional and physical signs of anxiety] were significantly lower in experimental group [P<0.01]
Conclusion: Findings indicated that exercise intervention leads to decrease in the anxiety. Therefore, we suggest designing and implementing exercise programs to decrease the anxiety of students with intellectual disability