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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Psychol.
Sec. Sport Psychology
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1431890
This article is part of the Research Topic Advances in Sport Science: Latest Findings and New Scientific Proposals-volume II View all 7 articles

Effectiveness of School-Based Physical Activity Programs in Enhancing Attention, Academic Performance, and Social Relationships Among Children with Intellectual Disabilities: Evidence from Pakistani Schools

Provisionally accepted
Saima Sabri Saima Sabri 1Mei-Yue Zhang Mei-Yue Zhang 1Lu Guo Lu Guo 1Junhua Dang Junhua Dang 2,3*Zhi-Xiong Mao Zhi-Xiong Mao 1
  • 1 Beijing Sport University, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China
  • 2 Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
  • 3 Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Physical activity (PA) offers extensive benefits for all children, including those with intellectual disabilities (ID), who face significant challenges in behavioral management and psycho-social well-being. This study investigates the effects of school-based PA on attention, academic performance, and relationships with teachers and parents in children with ID. A 12week single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted with 102 children with ID, aged 6 to 12 years (71 boys and 31 girls) from grades 1 to 5. Participants were divided into three groups: MVPA (moderate to vigorous PA), MPA (mild PA), and NPA (no PA). Each group engaged in PA three times a week for 45 minutes per session, with activities planned by a fitness trainer and supervised by the researcher. Outcome measures were assessed using SNAP-IV, STRS, CPRS, and APRS scales before and after the intervention. The results indicated that MVPA had a more significant positive impact on all outcomes compared to MPA and NPA. MPA also produced notable improvements relative to NPA. These findings underscore the importance of integrating PA into educational settings as a comprehensive strategy to enhance attention, academic performance, and social interactions for children with ID. This research highlights PA as a vital tool for addressing behavioral challenges and fostering better developmental outcomes in this population.

    Keywords: Intellectual Disability, physical activity, Behavioral problems, Attention, academic performance

    Received: 13 May 2024; Accepted: 29 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Sabri, Zhang, Guo, Dang and Mao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Junhua Dang, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.