Effects of Structured Physical Activity Breaks and Free Play in Children With Mild Intellectual Disability

NCT ID: NCT06943196

Last Updated: 2025-12-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 22 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-04-17
• Study Completion Date: 2025-10-01

Brief Summary

Children with mild intellectual disability (MID) typically exhibit delays in both intellectual and adaptive functioning, with the onset occurring during the developmental period.

These children often learn new information and skills at a slower pace compared to their peers and frequently struggle academically. Structured physical activity breaks (SPAB) in the classroom are short, planned periods of physical exercise integrated into the school day to enhance children's physical fitness and behavioral outcomes. Free play (FP) in which children may choose and engage in activities at their own pace, establishing creativity, social engagement, and self-regulation. Study includes 22 participants and divided into 2 groups, one group receiving (SPAB) and the other group participating in free play (FP). The physical activity breaks, lasting between 5 to 30 minutes. SPAB group will engage in a sequence of activities. These activities will start with a 5-minute stretch, followed by 5 minutes of marching in place, 30 seconds of jumping an invisible rope, 30 seconds of flapping arms like a bird, 5 minutes of mirroring each other's actions and guessing, 5 minutes of hopping on one foot or jumping on both feet, drawing on the board, guessing the color, and making a circle to play a game in class. In comparison, the FP group will have access to various activity stations within the classroom, allowing children to choose their activities within a 30-minute time frame. The intervention will be implemented 5-days a week for a total of 8-weeks. Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) use for assessing gross motor skills, the 6-minute walk test use for measuring functional capacity of endurance, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) use for evaluating behavior. Data analysis will be conducted using SPSS version 27.

Detailed Description

Children with mild intellectual disability (MID) typically exhibit delays in both intellectual and adaptive functioning, with the onset occurring during the developmental period. These children often learn new information and skills at a slower pace compared to their peers and frequently struggle academically. Structured physical activity breaks (SPAB) in the classroom are short, planned periods of physical exercise integrated into the school day to enhance children's physical fitness and behavioral outcomes. Free play (FP) in which children may choose and engage in activities at their own pace, establishing creativity, social engagement, and self-regulation. Gross motor skills, which include activities such as running, jumping, and balancing, are crucial for the overall physical development of children. Endurance, the ability to sustain physical activity over time often underdeveloped in children with MID. Behavioral outcomes, including social interaction, attention, and self-control, are also influenced by physical activity. This study aims to investigate the comparative effects of implementing SPAB as part of a comprehensive school physical activity program and FP on children with mild intellectual disabilities. Study includes 22 participants and divided into 2 groups, one group receiving (SPAB) and the other group participating in free play (FP). The physical activity breaks, lasting between 5 to 30 minutes. SPAB group will engage in a sequence of activities. These activities will start with a 5-minute stretch, followed by 5 minutes of marching in place, 30 seconds of jumping an invisible rope, 30 seconds of flapping arms like a bird, 5 minutes of mirroring each other's actions and guessing, 5 minutes of hopping on one foot or jumping on both feet, drawing on the board, guessing the color, and making a circle to play a game in class. In comparison, the FP group will have access to various activity stations within the classroom, allowing children to choose their activities within a 30-minute time frame. The intervention will be implemented 5-days a week for a total of 8-weeks. Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD-2) use for assessing gross motor skills, the 6-minute walk test use for measuring functional capacity of endurance, and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) use for evaluating behavior. Data analysis will be conducted using SPSS version 27.

Conditions

Intellectual Disability, Mild

Keywords

Endurance; Behavior; Neurodevelopmental disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Structured physical activity break

The structured physical activity breaks in classroom will include 5-30 minutes physical activities sequenced as: Week 1,4,7: 5-mintue stretch break, 5-minute marching in place, 30-sec jumping an invisible rope, 30-sec Flap arms like a bird, 5-minute mirror each other's actions and guess, 5-minute hop on one foot/ jump on both feet, draw on board, guess the color, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball in class. Week 2,5,8: 5-minute stretch break, 2-3 laps throughout the classroom, jumping in and out a circle on command, rock-paper-scissors-jump, paint or sketch on book, guess the animal, up-down-stop-go opposites, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and clap in class.

Week 3,6: 5-minute stretch break, 30-sec balance on one foot, 30-sec hopping, 5-jumping jacks, 5-claps turn around and guess the shape, play a game on board or notebook, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and jump in class.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Structured physical activity break

Intervention Type: OTHER

The structured physical activity breaks in classroom will include 5-30 minutes physical activities sequenced as: Week 1,4,7: 5-mintue stretch break, 5-minute marching in place, 30-sec jumping an invisible rope, 30-sec Flap arms like a bird, 5-minute mirror each other's actions and guess, 5-minute hop on one foot/ jump on both feet, draw on board, guess the color, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball in class. Week 2,5,8: 5-minute stretch break, 2-3 laps throughout the classroom, jumping in and out a circle on command, rock-paper-scissors-jump, paint or sketch on book, guess the animal, up-down-stop-go opposites, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and clap in class.

Week 3,6: 5-minute stretch break, 30-sec balance on one foot, 30-sec hopping, 5-jumping jacks, 5-claps turn around and guess the shape, play a game on board or notebook, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and jump in class.

Free play

Free play in classroom will be the activity stations available in the institute.

Classroom will be divided into various zones, offering the widest selection of areas for the children to explore. Each zone will have age-appropriate play stations designed to engage the children in diverse activities. In addition to all of the locations, a reserve spots in the classroom will be made so that the students can show their work. This comprises the artwork and crafts that kids will have created in the free play classroom. Free Play is children's self-organized activity. Therapist will observe children in a creative, stimulating play environment and participation in the play.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Structured physical activity break

The structured physical activity breaks in classroom will include 5-30 minutes physical activities sequenced as: Week 1,4,7: 5-mintue stretch break, 5-minute marching in place, 30-sec jumping an invisible rope, 30-sec Flap arms like a bird, 5-minute mirror each other's actions and guess, 5-minute hop on one foot/ jump on both feet, draw on board, guess the color, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball in class. Week 2,5,8: 5-minute stretch break, 2-3 laps throughout the classroom, jumping in and out a circle on command, rock-paper-scissors-jump, paint or sketch on book, guess the animal, up-down-stop-go opposites, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and clap in class.

Week 3,6: 5-minute stretch break, 30-sec balance on one foot, 30-sec hopping, 5-jumping jacks, 5-claps turn around and guess the shape, play a game on board or notebook, make a circle and play a game of throw a ball and jump in class.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Mild Intellectual Disability i-e mild deficit in intellectual and adaptive functions, having onset in developmental period (24) approximate IQ range of 50 to 69 (25).
• ADLs are preserved and complex functions minimally impaired (26).
• Attendance of a special educational center;
• A medically cleared status from any physical ailment for participation in the baseline examinations.
• Children are able/ allowed to interact with the environment and use of resources during free play in school/institute

Exclusion Criteria

• Children with chronic medical conditions/ physical disabilities/balance issues/injuries that prevent participation in physical activity
• Lack of informed consent from parents' and/or legal guardians' for their children's participation;
• Coexisting conditions: autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy (CP), any muscular dystrophy, or neurological disorders such as epilepsy or brain damage;
• Children with severe motor disability Comorbidities like oncological, rheumatic, orthopedic or cardiac diseases

• Minimum Eligible Age: 7 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 10 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Riphah International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Maria Amjad, MSPT(Peads)

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Riphah International University

Locations

PSRD

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

Other Identifiers

REC/RCR/AHS/24/0739

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id