Effects of a one-year physical activity intervention on fundamental movement skills of boys with severe intellectual disabilities

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of using physical activity-based interventions to improve fundamental movement skills (FMS) of children with severe intellectual disabilities (ID). Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a one-year physical activity intervention on FMS among boys with severe ID. Methods and procedures: Forty-two boys with severe ID (Mage= 9.6 years) were randomized into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in a semi-structured physical activity intervention, while the control group engaged in a supervised free play program, for 60 min per meeting, five times per week, over 12 months. Participants' FMS were assessed for pretest, 6-month midterm, and posttest; their age, body mass index (BMI) were also collected. Outcomes and results: Controlling for participants' BMI and pretest scores, the intervention significantly improved posttest FMS in the experimental group compared to the comparison group. No significant improvement was found from midterm to posttest for the comparison group. No significant improvement was found from pretest to midterm FMS performance for both groups. Conclusions and implications: The results suggest that the fundamental movement skill performance of children with severe ID can be improved, although the significant effects may only be evident after long (1 year), rather than short-term (6 months), time periods.