MOTOR PERFORMANCE PROFILE OF CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

Abstract

Objective: To analyze the motor performance of children with intellectual disabilities through the monopedal jump test of the KTK battery (Körperkoordination test für Kinder). Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, pre-experimental study analyzing eight intellectual disabled children of each gender aged 6 to 13 years. The subjects were tested for their strength and motor coordination of lower limbs during the monopedal jump test of the KTK battery. Asymmetry in motor performance between the hemibody was analyzed through the t test for dependent samples. Results: Six volunteers were excluded for failing to perform the test correctly. Eight male children (9.88 ± 1.89 years) showed better results on their left leg. However, no statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the right and left leg (p = 0.211). In general, the participants were classified as having insufficient coordinative motor performance (≤ 56) in both legs. Conclusion: Children with intellectual disabilities showed a profile of motor coordination below the recommended for their age, although some participants showed better results. Thus, it is necessary to conduct longitudinal interventional studies with greater sample sizes and different tests in order to assess this phenomenon. DESCRIPTORS Intellectual Disability; Evaluation of results of preventive actions; Evaluation; Phychomotor Performance.