IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v20y2023i4p3673-d1073359.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Badminton Improves Executive Function in Adults Living with Mild Intellectual Disability

Author

Listed:
  • Yifan Wang

    (College of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China)

  • Xueping Wu

    (College of Physical Education, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai 200438, China)

  • Huawei Chen

    (Sports Department, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China)

Abstract

Background: Adults with intellectual disability have limited executive function—which includes working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control subcomponents—making their ability to live independently challenging. The present study explored whether a badminton intervention program could improve the executive function of adults living with a mild intellectual disability, but with no physical disability. Methods: This randomized controlled study randomly assigned 30 adults with mild intellectual disabilities recruited from Shanghai Sunshine bases in Shanghai (20 males and 10 females; mean age, 35.80 (3.93) years) to a badminton intervention program ( n = 15, training for 12 weeks, 3 times/week, 60 min each time) or the control group ( n = 15), which received a typical physical education course consisting primarily of gymnastics. Correct response rates and response times on the Stroop test, n-back task, and task switching were analyzed using two-way analyses of variance, followed by simple effects tests to evaluate inhibitory control, working memory, and cognitive flexibility, respectively, before and after the badminton intervention. Results: No significant difference was detected between the badminton group and the control group ( p > 0.05) for their pre-test scores on any subcomponent of executive function. A 2 × 2 repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a significant increase in accuracy in the inhibitory control task for the badminton group after the intervention ( p < 0.05). In addition, the accuracy rate and reaction time in a working memory task were significantly improved in the badminton group after the intervention ( p < 0.05). Although some improvement in cognitive flexibility was observed for this group after the intervention, it was not statistically significant ( p > 0.05). In the control group, there was no significant difference in any executive function subcomponents after the intervention ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that badminton may be used as an effective intervention to improve the executive function of adults with a mild intellectual disability and that our protocol may inform future badminton exercise intervention programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Yifan Wang & Xueping Wu & Huawei Chen, 2023. "Badminton Improves Executive Function in Adults Living with Mild Intellectual Disability," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3673-:d:1073359
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3673/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/4/3673/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michal Vostrý & Barbora Lanková & Ilona Pešatová & Otakar Fleischmann & Jaroslava Jelínková, 2022. "Nonpharmacological Compensation of Aggressive Behavior of Individuals with Moderate Intellectual Disability and Behavioral Disorders—A Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-12, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:4:p:3673-:d:1073359. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.