Effects of a Physical Activity Program on Physical Fitness of Intellectually Disabled Persons

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of a physical activity program on the physical fitness in persons with intellectual disabilities. METHODS: The study design was an equivalent control group pre-post test. The treatment group received ths physical activity program five times per week for 20 weeks. Data were collected from the treatment group at two time points: Week 1 and Week 20 following the initiation of the treatment protocol. Data were collected from the control group at the ends of week 1 and Week 20. Data analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS v.21.0 software program. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant reduction of physical fitness: basic of physical fitness (t=-2.07, p=.041), flexibility (t=2.25, p=.027), muscular strength (t=2.70, p=.009), agility (t=-3.35, p=.001), except for sense of balance (t=-0.91, p=.368), while control group showed no change in these variables. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the physical activity program has proved to be a stable and physically active intervention program for physical activity in intellectually disabled persons.