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Compliance of children with moderate to severe intellectual disability to treadmill walking: a pilot study
1The Zinman College at the Winsgate Institute and Beit Issie Shapiro, Ra'anana, Israel.
Background:
Individuals with Intellectual Disability (ID) exhibit reduced levels of compliance to exercise, including treadmill walking. The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of several training conditions on compliance to participation in treadmill walking of children with moderate to severe ID.
Method:
Criteria for compliance were the averaged number of times participants attempted to discontinue walking during two 5-min exercise sessions of treadmill walking at an intensity of 65-75% of predicted maximal HR. Fifteen children aged 5-11 with moderate to severe ID participated in the study. Training conditions were (a) close supervisor's position, (b) distant supervisor's position, (c) positive reinforcement, and (d) paired modeling.
Results:
General linear mixed model statistics revealed significant differences in favor of the paired modeling and positive reinforcement compared to the other conditions. Leaning forward was the most frequent type of participants' attempt to stop exercising.
Conclusions:
Paired modeling and positive reinforcement should be considered within treadmill training programs for children with moderate to severe ID.
