Long-term effects of artistic gymnastics on the cognitive and physical development of individuals with intellectual disabilities

Aim. This study aims to identify the effect of artistic gymnastics on the cognitive and phy­sical development of female children with intellectual disabilities. Materials and methods. A two-year pedagogical experiment was conducted in a gymnastics facility (Chelyabinsk, Russia). The study involved twenty-eight female participants aged 9–12 years diagnosed with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities. Participants were divided into two equal groups: an experimental group that underwent artistic gymnastics training and a control group that followed a standard adaptive physical education program. The efficacy of the intervention was evaluated based on the dynamics of cognitive and physical development. Results. The female participants in the experimental group exhibited improvements in cognitive and physical deve­lopment following the artistic gymnastics training. They demonstrated superior gains in flexibility and strength compared to the control group. Furthermore, the experimental group demonstrated an expanded motor repertoire, evidenced by an increased capacity to perform a wide range of exercises. Moreover, over the study period, this group showed significant improvement in cognitive abilities compared to the control group. Conclusions. The findings demonstrate that artistic gymnastics contributes to the cognitive and physical development of children with intellectual disabilities. These positive effects were sustained over the two-year follow-up period, indicating their long-term nature.