Psychophysical effects of gymnastics for children with intellectual disabilities: physical and cognitive development

Aim. This study aimed to examine the psychological and physiological effects of gymnastics on children with intellectual disabilities. Materials and methods. The nine-month intervention took place from September to May (Chelyabinsk Federation of Sports Gymnastics). Twenty girls with mild to moderate intellectual disability, aged 9–11 years, participated in the study. These girls exhibited mental retardation, affecting their cognitive, speech, motor, and social functions. The participants were allocated into two groups of 20 each. The control group underwent adaptive exercise, including a series of exercises with various objects, flexibility exercise, and general exercise. The experimental group engaged in artistic gymnastics. Physical and cognitive abilities were evaluated prior to and after the experiment. Results. The results showed that gymnastics had a significantly greater positive effect compared to traditional adaptive physical education. Specifically, the Romberg test improved by 17% in the control group versus 68% in the experimental group (Р < 0.05). Similarly, the results obtained in the Guess Who test improved by 12% in the control group versus 32% in the experimental group (Р < 0.05). Conclusion. This study demonstrates that artistic gymnastics for children with intellectual disabilities has a positive effect on both their physical and cognitive abilities.