Motor Intervention Program Research Articles

Effects of Motor Intervention Program on Academic Skills, Motor Skills and Social Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of motor intervention program (MIP) on autistic index, pre-academic skills, motor skills and social skills of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The research group consisted of a total of 34 participants between the ages of 3-6, 17 in the control group (CG) and 17 in the experimental group (EG). EG participated in the motor intervention program for 60min a day, 2days a week for 12weeks. In the study, the Gilliam Autistic Disorder Rating Scale-2-Turkish Version (GARS-2 TV), Peabody Motor Development Scale-2 (PMDS-2), Pre-Academic Skills Evaluation Form (PASAF) and Social Skills Evaluation System Preschool Teacher Form (SSRS-PTF) were used. The increase in all subtests and total scores of PASAF and posttest scores obtained from PMDS-2 were found to be higher in favor of the experimental group (p < 0.05). The decrease in the stereotype and social interaction scores of GARS-2 TV and the change in the cooperation, self-control and externalization sub-dimensions of SSRS-PTF were found to be statistically significant in favor of the EG group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, it was found that MIP applied to autistic children was effective on the development of motor skills, academic skills and social skills and decreased the level of autistic index. This result shows that MIP is an effective practice that provides a favorable environment for autistic young children to develop multiple skills.

Neuropsychopedagogical Motor Intervention Program Strengthening Inhibitory Control, Working Memory, and Language Abilities in Post-COVID-19 School Returnees

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a neuropsychopedagogical motor intervention program (NMIP) on the cognitive functioning and academic achievement of students. 201 students aged 7 to 10 participated, randomly assigned to either the control group (103 students underwent two assessments during the NMIP period) or the experimental group (98 students underwent NMIP interspersed with two assessments). The NMIP utilized the Coordinating Methodology, focusing on motor development, executive functions, and mindfulness. It consisted of 36 sessions, each lasting 15 minutes, involving the coding and decoding of figures and colors with parts of the glass human body, implemented by the class teacher in the school setting. Cognitive functioning and academic achievement were assessed using the Children's Scale for Inhibitory Control Screening (CSICS), Neuropsychopedagogical Scale for Working Memory Screening (NSWMS), Scale for Screening Phonological Abilities (SSPA), and Children's Scale for Reading and Writing Screening (CSRWS) before and after the NMIP. The results showed significant improvements in the experimental group: ±19% (p&lt;0.01) in CSICS, ±29% (p&lt;0.01) in NSWMS, ±23% (p&lt;0.01) in SSPA, and a reduction of ±52% (p&lt;0.01) in reading and writing difficulties measured by CSRWS. Additionally, ANOVA analysis indicated superior performance (p&lt;0.01) in cognitive functions and academic skills among children in the experimental group post-NMIP compared to those in the control group. In conclusion, the NMIP demonstrated substantial positive effects on both cognitive functioning and academic achievement in elementary school students.

Investigating the Influence of Personalized Training on the Optimization of Some Psychomotor Behaviors Among Junior Gymnasts in the Training Process (Moldova Region, Romania)

The purpose of the study was identified by the effort to complement the standard sports training programme with a portfolio of innovative means and methods to optimise the process of achieving performance in gymnastics competitions. The group of subjects investigated was female and consisted of 19 gymnasts, aged 10 - 12 years. They were tested initially and finally to determine the effects that going through the training program had on the analyzed indicators. The Matorin, Flamingo, Balance Plate Position Maintenance and the "Y" tests were used in the research. We used descriptive statistics (Arithmetic Mean, Standard Deviation, Median, Confidence Interval and Coefficient of Variation) and significance tests which were used to assess the statistical significance of the difference between the means for two sets of scores (STUDENT paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon test). Based on the results recorded, we identified a significant difference between the mean values for the two tests. Following the results obtained, we can confirm that they help to form an overall picture from the perspective of motor skills on gymnasts and that there is a significant effectiveness of the motor intervention program in the sports training process.

Developing a Process-Based Movement Intervention Program and Evaluating Its Effects on the Fundamental Motor Skills and School Readiness of Pre-School Boys

Background and Aims Motor skills are needed for entering elementary school. They can students have better performance in learning. The present study aims to develop a process-based movement intervention program and evaluate it efficacy on the fundamental motor skills and school readiness of pre-school boys. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study with a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design. The study population consists of all preschool boys in Isfahan, Iran in 2019-2020. Of these, 30 children with poor motor skills and primary school readiness were selected using a purposive sampling method and randomly divided into experimental and control group. The experimental group received the process-based movement intervention program at 13 sessions. The instruments were Movement Assessment Battery for Children and the Metropolitan Readiness Test. The collected data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. Results The process-based movement intervention had a significant effect on the fundamental motor skills (F=32.94, η2= 0.59, P=0001) and school readiness (F= 46.45, η2= 0.62, P=0001) of pre-school boys. Conclusion The process-based motor intervention program can improve the fundamental motor skills and primary school readiness of pre-school boys by improving balance, sensory systems, motor coordination, and motor programming.

Functional Neuroplasticity and Motor Skill Change Following Gross Motor Interventions for Children With Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Background Gross motor intervention designs for children with diplegic cerebral palsy (DCP) require an improved understanding of the children’s potential for neuroplasticity. Objective To identify relations between functional neuroplasticity and motor skill changes following gross motor interventions for children with DCP. Methods There were 17 participants with DCP (ages 8-16 years; 6 females; Gross Motor Function Classification System Level I [n = 9] and II [n = 8]). Each completed a 6-week gross motor intervention program that was directed toward achievement of individualized motor/physical activity goals. Outcomes were assessed pre/post and 4 to 6 months post-intervention (follow-up). An active ankle dorsiflexion task was completed during functional magnetic resonance imaging. The ratio of motor cortical activation volume in each hemisphere was calculated using a laterality index. The Challenge was the primary gross motor skill measure. Change over time and relations among outcomes were evaluated. Results Challenge scores improved post-intervention (4.57% points [SD 4.45], P = .004) and were maintained at follow-up (0.75% [SD 6.57], P = 1.000). The laterality index for dominant ankle dorsiflexion increased (P = .033), while non-dominant change was variable (P = .534). Contralateral activation (laterality index ≥+0.75) was most common for both ankles. Challenge improvements correlated with increased ipsilateral activity (negative laterality index) during non-dominant dorsiflexion (r = −.56, P = .045). Smaller activation volume during non-dominant dorsiflexion predicted continued gross motor gains at follow-up (R2 = .30, P = .040). Conclusions Motor cortical activation during non-dominant ankle dorsiflexion is a modest indicator of the potential for gross motor skill change. Further investigation of patterns of neuroplastic change will improve our understanding of effects. ClinicalTrials.gov Registry: NCT02584491 and NCT02754128

Association between fundamental motor skills and executive function in preschool children: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectiveThe main purpose of this study was to explore the association between early fundamental motor skills (FMS) and executive function (EF) in preschool children.MethodsA total of 394 young children (4.07 ± 0.76 years) were evaluated. The FMS and EF were evaluated using the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) and the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NTCB), respectively.ResultsTotal FMS score was moderately and positively correlated with total EF score (r = 0.33, p < 0.001) and was a significant predictor of total EF score (β = 0.37, p < 0.001). Specifically, locomotor skills were significant predictors of inhibition control (β = 0.21, p < 0.001), working memory (β = 0.18, p < 0.01), and cognitive flexibility (β = 0.24, p < 0.001), while object control skills were only significant predictors of inhibition control (β = 0.17, p < 0.01).ConclusionFMS were significantly and positively correlated with EF and were significant predictors of EF. Early childhood policymakers, preschool teachers, and researchers should take these connections seriously and implement appropriate complex motor intervention programs in future teaching to stimulate the development of both motor and higher-order cognitive skills in preschool children.

Fundamental Motor Skills Intervention for School-age Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a motor intervention program on the improvement of fundamental motor skills (including motor skills and object control skills) in school-aged children through a meta-analysis system based on the US Gross Motor Development Test to determine further the effects of motor intervention on fundamental motor skills in school-aged children. A comprehensive search of relevant literature in PubMed and Web of Science databases was conducted to include trials on motor interventions published up to October 2021, examining the effects of motor intervention programs on fundamental motor skills in school-aged children. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool identified studies of acceptable methodological quality. Meta-analyses showed that motor interventions had an effect on children's overall fundamental motor skills (N=1197, SMD=0.94, 95% Cl:0.81-1.07, p<0.00001, I²=79%, random-effects model) and object control skills (N=1380, SMD=0.83, 95% Cl:0.45-1.21, p<0.0001, I²=89%, random-effects model) improved by a larger effect size. In contrast, the effect size for improvement in motor skills (N=1380, SMD=0.57, 95% Cl:0.29-0.85, p<0.0001, I²=80%, random-effects model) was moderate. The combined analyses suggest that motor intervention programs can improve children's performance of fundamental motor skills to some extent. However, the optimal type of motor intervention needs to be further determined in subsequent studies. Considering the limitations of this study, the findings need to be interpreted and applied with caution.

Motor skill training programs for children with developmental coordination disorder: Does gender matter?

As a section of composing an update of the motor skill training programs in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) according to gender, a systematic review of intervention studies in this domain, emphasizing gender differences, was made. This study aimed to (i) systematically review the available literature on the effect of a motor intervention program in children with DCD with a focus on gender differences; (ii) to find clues that possibly explain the observed outcomes according to gender. An electronic search in 4-four databases (Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, and PubMed) was conducted for studies that evaluated motor-based interventions in participants of both genders with DCD assessed using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children. The systematic review followed the guidelines defined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Meta-analysis (PRISMA) and Systematic Reviews and comprised articles published from January 2000 to January 2021. Each study extracted information about methodology, participant characteristics, intervention program (characteristics, duration, and frequency), outcomes, and differences according to gender. Outcomes indicated that although activity-oriented and body function-oriented interventions can effectively affect motor function and skills in children with DCD, only a few studies indicated equal outcomes of the effectiveness of programs on both girls and boys. However, those studies did not describe the gender effect in sufficient detail to help researchers and clinicians understand what it was about the treatment that made it equivalent. Future studies need to address this.

EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROGRAM BASED ON TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS: EXER-GAMES AS HEALTH PROMOTERS

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The purpose of this work is to analyse the improvement in the health and quality of life of children and youth detected with sedentary lifestyle and/or overweight, through the application of a training program based on exer-games. A total of 359 boys and girls between the ages of 3 and 12 from four schools participated in the study, from which 20 children between the ages of 5 and 12 were selected, to form two groups of 10 children each. The experimental group carried out the training program, together with nutritional guidelines, while the control group had no intervention. The variables analysed were the BMI and waist circumference, through anthropometric measurements, screen time, the type of commute to school and the level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet, measured by questionnaire, and body image, evaluated at through the silhouettes. To complement the research, initial and final nutritional evaluations were carried out on the experimental group. Descriptive statistics for all variables were analysed, calculating the mean, median and standard deviation for the quantitative variables; percentages and frequencies for qualitative variables. The results obtained may indicate that a motor intervention program based on exer-games contributes to promoting the health of students with sedentary and/or overweight traits.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Developmental Language Disorder and Uninhibited Primitive Reflexes in Young Children.

Purpose Developmental language disorder (DLD) is a developmental disorder where children fail to acquire language in the absence of a clear cause. Many studies have reported general motor deficits in children with DLD, but no studies have uncovered a cure. The purpose of our study is to better understand the underlying motor deficits in DLD, starting from uninhibited primary reflexes-which are the most basic stage of motor development. Knowledge of this motor-language relationship should lead to earlier and more targeted interventions in young children with DLD. Method Children with DLD (n = 75, age range: 4-10 years) and 99 age-matched typically developing (TD) children completed a nonword repetition test to assess DLD and six other tests to assess primitive reflexes. Results Children with DLD demonstrated higher levels of persistent primitive reflexes compared to TD children. As the scores for neuromotor immaturity increased, nonword repetition test scores decreased (r = -.44, p < .01). Results indicated that TD children exhibited lower neuromotor immaturity (M = 7.63, SD = 3.75) compared to children with DLD (M = 13.51, SD = 4.47). All primitive reflexes (the Moro reflex, the symmetrical tonic neck reflex in flexion and in extension, the asymmetrical tonic neck reflex, the tonic labyrinthine reflex, and the Galant reflex) turned out to be statistically significantly different for the TD and DLD groups (p < .001). We also observed some differences between sexes. Conclusions Children with impaired language development underwent slower neuromotor development. However, further research is needed to determine whether motor intervention programs that inhibit primitive reflexes are helpful for children with DLD.

E-Health Exercise Intervention for Pediatric Patients with Congenital Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

To improve health-related physical fitness (HRPF) (primary outcome) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) with a web-based motor intervention program in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Overall, 70 patients (13.0±2.6years; 34% girls) aged 10-18years with moderate or complex CHD severity were randomly allocated 1:1 to an intervention or control group. The intervention group trained 3 times per week for 20minutes in a web-based exercise program over a period of 24weeks. The control group followed lifestyle per usual. At baseline and follow-up HRPF was assessed via 5 tasks of the FITNESSGRAM and converted to a HRPF z score. HRQoL was assessed with KINDLself-report questionnaire. In total, 61 patients completed the follow-up. There was no change in total HRPF z score (intervention group: 0.14±0.38 vs control group: 0.09±0.38, P=.560) and total HRQoL (intervention group: -1.73±8.33 vs control group: 1.31±7.85, P=.160) after the 24-week web-based exercise intervention. This was true for all subcategories of HRPF and HRQoL. There were no adverse events associated with the web-based exercise intervention. We found that 24weeks of web-based exercise intervention with an aimed volume of 60minutes ofexercise per week was safe but did not improve HRPF and HRQoL in children with moderate or complex CHD. Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03488797.

Intervention program in childhood education for physical fitness work

One of the main causes of coronary, respiratory and metabolic diseases among others, in today’s society, is sedentary life. Sedentarism comes from the high rate of abandonment of physical-sport practice in the period of adolescence. The consolidation of healthy habits from an early age, including the daily practice of physical activity, is essential to improve adherence over time. The main objective of this study was to carry out a motor intervention program in an infant education class in order to improve their physical condition-health. Nineteen infants (10 boys, 9 girls) aged 3 years participated in this study. The intervention was conducted over a period of 6 weeks. Families were also made aware about the importance of physical activity. Anthropometric variables of height and weight were measured, as well as physical condition variables such as speed and long jump, before and after the intervention. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test revealed the normality of the sample which allowed a comparison of means with Student’s t-test. The results obtained in the physical tests reveal that the physical condition of the participants improved ostensibly, although this improvement was only statistically significant in the case of the 4x10 test. Nevertheless, the work in this line shows a positive tendency towards the improvement of the physical condition-health, thus education professionals are expected to continue working in this direction.

Positive Effect of a Motor Intervention Program With Exergames

The objective this article is to verify the effects of an intervention program with exergames on the motor performance of children aged 8 to 10 years. The study included 64 children divided into experimental group and physical education group. The motor intervention used in this study was an exergame program with 18 sessions lasting 45 minutes each, twice a week. To evaluate motor performance before and after the intervention, the authors used the Test of Gross Motor Development - Second Edition (TGMD-2). This study showed a positive effect on the motor performance of children ages 8 to 10 years. However, no significant differences were found in relation to the effect of exergames intervention in the experimental group when compared to the physical education group that participated in PE classes. The results of this study indicate that exergames are effective tools for the significant improvement of motor skills.

Effectiveness of a Motor Intervention Program on Motivation and Learning of English Vocabulary in Preschoolers: A Pilot Study.

(1) Background: Linking physical activity to the teaching of curricular contents provides numerous motivational and emotional benefits which improve academic performance and lead to the improvement and creation of healthy habits from an early age. (2) Method: The objective of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of a 5-week intervention program based on the use of a combined methodology of physical activity and gestures on motivation and vocabulary learning in English. The sample of children was aged from 4 to 7 years and was recruited from three children’s centers in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. A quasi-experimentalstudy was carried out using a pretest–posttest design in a sample (n = 88). (3) Results: Statistically significant results were obtained in the learning of words through the combined methodology of gestures and motor activity, compared to the traditional methodology used in the control group. (4) Conclusions: The main conclusions are that motor and expressive activities at an early age can be an effective motivational resource that promotes an increase in children’s physical activity time in the classroom. Further, it improves academic performance, producing a more effective learning of the vocabulary of a second language.

Effects of a Motor Intervention Program on Motor Skills and Executive Functions in Children With Learning Disabilities.

This study examined the effect of a motor intervention based on the attention, balance, and coordination (ABC) learning approach on motor proficiency and executive functions in children with learning disabilities (LD). Forty-five male elementary school students with LD aged 7-9 years were recruited and randomly assigned into one of three groups: two experimental groups and one control group. Experimental Group A received only the motor intervention. Experimental Group B simultaneously received both motor intervention and regular educational services. The control group received only regular educational services. The motor intervention involved sequential station exercises based on ABC; this training took place in 24 sessions, scheduled three times a week for eight weeks. We obtained children's scores on the Bruininks-Oseretsky Tests of Motor Proficiency, N-Back Test, Tower of London, and Continuous Performance Tests at pretest, posttest, and follow-up testing. Our results showed that both experimental groups significantly improved their motor skills and most measures of executive functions, relative to no significant improvement for the control group. The improvements on some measures of executive functions in Experimental Group B were just slightly better than in Experimental Group A. This study supported Blythe's ABC learning approach emphasizing ABC, and it extended earlier findings of benefits of this approach to populations of children with LD.

Motor Intervention and Assessment Instruments in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The practice of physical activity in people with disabilities provides important health benefits (Wind, Schwend, & Larson, 2004; Chanias, Reid, & Hoover, 1998), particularly in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Several motor interventions have been suggested as beneficial for this population. Considering this variety, it is important to synthesize the different existing programs, the population in which they are applied. This research aims to review the motor interventions used in children with ASD, as well as the evaluation methods used, so that it becomes clear what the options are for motor work with this population. All the studies presented showed improvements in participants. A literature search was conducted in Web of Science, SCOPUS and Google Scholar 2013, to include research studies that evaluate motor intervention in children with ASD. Fifteen studies meet inclusion criteria. Results show that motor intervention programs that have been carried out are quite diverse, from dance, trampoline training, balance training or fundamental motor skills, for example, to evaluate motor skills which used different test batteries, one of the most common is the motor proficiency test of Bruininks-Oseretsky. On the other hand, other methods were used to evaluate the social interaction like Gilliam Autism Rating Scale or Autism Rating Scale. We conclude that to improve the motor fitness of children with ASD different strategies can be followed. As the revised programs use different evaluation tools, it is difficult to compare the results obtained with each other. A motor intervention that comprises different types of exercises and materials, using ludic exercises may be a potentially more effective strategy.

Using dual-task methods to enhance cognitive performance in the acute phase of stroke: a proof of concept study

Objective: To test the effectiveness of using a non-targeted, dual-task methodology to promote positive cognitive behavior change in acute stroke.Method: Three stroke survivors, selected because they exhibited different recovery profiles, different lesion sites, and time since suffering a stroke, were administered an anagram task five or six times across a two-week period in the days following a stroke. Task difficulty increased across sessions by means of adding a category instance detection task, where participants had to identify instances from either one or two different semantic categories. The same regime was administered to a control group over a two-week period.Results: All three participants were in the clinical range on early tests but were in non-clinical range on their last test session. Dual-task effects on completion time were also similar across participants as were anagram length effects. The three participants exhibited enhanced cognitive performance.Conclusions: The results suggest the possibility that cognitive interventions aimed at restoring lost function can be administered in the early days post-stroke and can produce beneficial outcomes, in much the same way that early motor or speech intervention programs have been shown to produce long-term benefits.

Prefeeding Oromotor Stimulation Program for Improving Oromotor Function in Preterm Infants — A Randomized Controlled Trial

To determine effect of Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention program on oro-motor function and time to full independent wati spoon feeds in preterm infants. 30 preterm infants between 28-32 weeks of gestation on full gavage feeds of 150 mL/kg/day were randomized to receive either pre-feed oro-motor stimulation using Premature Infant Oral Motor Intervention (structured stimulation) or sham intervention (unstructured stimulation). Improvement in mean (SD) Neonatal Oro-Motor Assessment Scale (NOMAS) over 7 days from baseline was significantly higher in the study group infants as compared to control group (9.25 (1.73) vs 4.79 (1.52), P=0.001). Infants in the study group reached full independent wati spoon feeds significantly earlier than the infants in control group (4.0 (0.8) d; vs 6.64 (1.0) d; P=0.001). There was significant increase in weight gain after enrolment in infants in study group compared to those in control group. Oral stimulation program improves the oro-motor skills and growth velocity in 28-32 week preterm infants. There is decreased transition time from gavage to full independent feeds by mouth.

Efeitos dos exergames em crianças com risco e dificuldade significativa de movimento: um estudo cego randomizado

The aimed of this study was to verify the effect of a motor intervention program with exergames in children with risk and significant movement difficulty. 18 sessions of 45minutes were performed.. The MABC‐2 battery was used to identify children at risk and motor difficulty. In the pre‐test, in the experimental group there were two children with difficulty of movement and four children with indicative of risk of difficulty, in the post‐test analyzes, it was verified that only two children were at risk of difficulty and four were without difficulty of Movement. With this, it is suggested that the exergames can be useful tools for the improvement of the motor performance, besides offering subsidy for an alternative of stimulation of the movement.

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