Enhancing motor skills through a mindfulness-based program in adolescents with intellectual and developmental...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) often experience challenges in motor performance.
• Improving motor skills is crucial for the physical development, independence, and social inclusion of individuals with IDD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an 8-week mindfulness program on the motor performance of adolescents with IDD.
• To compare the effects of mindfulness practice against a physical activity intervention and a control group.

Main Methods:

• A single-site randomized controlled trial involving 47 male adolescents with IDD (mean age 15.49 years).
• Participants were assigned to a mindfulness group (MG), physical activity group (PAG), or control group (CG).
• Motor skills were assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2 SF) before and after the 8-week intervention.

Main Results:

• The mindfulness group (MG) demonstrated significant improvements in fine motor precision, fine motor integration, and manual dexterity (p < 0.001).
• Significant enhancements were also observed in bilateral coordination (p = 0.002), balance (p = 0.001), running speed and agility (p < 0.001), upper-limb coordination (p < 0.001), and strength (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Mindfulness practice is an effective, accessible, and low-cost method for improving motor performance in adolescents with IDD.
• Integrating mindfulness into educational and therapeutic settings can support the physical development and inclusion of this population.