Structured Virtual Reality Exergame Intervention in Adolescents With Mild Intellectual Disabilities: Pre-Post Pilot...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Special Education
• Rehabilitation Technology

Background:

• Adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities often face challenges in motor proficiency and neurocognitive processing, impacting functional independence.
• Virtual reality (VR) exergames offer a motivating approach for physical activity, but data on their impact within structured pedagogical frameworks are limited.
• Previous research introduced WISH and WON protocols to enhance gameplay independence, yet their effect on measurable clinical motor and reaction time improvements needs further study.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a 16-session structured VR exergame intervention using WISH and WON protocols.
• To assess the intervention's impact on motor proficiency and simple reaction time in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.

Main Methods:

• A single-group pretest-posttest pilot study design was employed.
• Eight adolescents (mean age 17.63) participated in 16 VR exergame sessions over 8 months using the 'OhShape!' game on Meta Quest 2.
• Motor proficiency was measured using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test, and simple reaction time was assessed using a standardized meter.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements were observed in Bruininks-Oseretsky Test scores (P=.01), with the group mean proficiency score increasing from 1.88 to 2.88 (P=.008).
• Simple reaction time significantly decreased from a baseline of 426.50 ms to 392.10 ms postintervention (P=.02).
• Effect sizes (r) for motor proficiency and reaction time were substantial (0.74-0.89).

Conclusions:

• Structured VR exergaming, guided by autonomy-promoting protocols, shows promise in addressing motor deficits in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.
• The intervention led to measurable improvements in motor skills and reaction time within this cohort.
• While preliminary, these findings suggest VR as a potential tool for neuro-motor adaptations in special education, meriting further investigation in controlled trials.