Exploring the impact of parent-facilitated aquatics on children with developmental disabilities - a mixed-methods study

Abstract

Children with developmental disabilities often face challenges in adaptive behavior and motor skills. Aquatics is recognized as a beneficial activity for enhancing physical health and social behavior in this population. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of a parent-facilitated aquatics program for children with developmental disabilities. Fourteen children with developmental disabilities, accompanied by one biological parent (5 mothers, 9 fathers), participated in an eight-week aquatics program. The outcome measures of the study included pre- and post-intervention assessments of adaptive behavior, utilizing the Korea National Institute of Special Education-Scales of Adaptive Behavior (2005) and motor coordination, including balance, agility, and precision of movement, employing the Körperkoordinationstest Für Kinder (1974). Following the intervention, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with each parent to explore their perceptions and experiences of the parent-facilitated program for children with developmental disabilities. Quantitative data were analyzed using paired t-tests (α = 0.05), while qualitative data underwent thematic coding and content analysis. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) with a small to moderate effect size was observed in hop, jump, and lateral movement skills. Two main themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (a) ‘Parental presence’ and (b) ‘Parental Transformation’. The findings of study emphasize the crucial role of parent engagement in fostering the motor development and physical activity participation of children with developmental disabilities. Despite study limitations, it offers a valuable model for enhancing adaptive behavior and motor coordination in this population.