The effect of life kinetik exercises on visual memory, perception, attention, coordination and balance skills of individuals with mild intellectual disabilities

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of life kinetic exercises on visual memory, perception, attention, coordination and balance skills of individuals with mild intellectual disability. The sample group of the study consists of 18 secondary school students aged 10-14 with mild intellectual disability. While Lutz (2014)'s life kinetic exercises were applied for 10 weeks (40 minutes/3 days/10 weeks) to the experimental group, no application was made to the control group. As measurement tools, d2 test of attention, Benton visual memory test, Frostig visual perception test, Bruininks-Oseretsky Motor Proficiency Test-Second Version (BOT-2) were used. Comparison of normally distributed data between groups was evaluated with Independent Samples T-test, comparison of data not normally distributed was evaluated with Mann-Whitney U test. Paired Samples T-test was used to compare the normally distributed data according to the pre and post-test within the groups, and the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the non-normally distributed data. While there was a significant difference between the Benton Visual Memory and Perception, Bilateral Coordination, Hand-Arm Coordination and Balance post-test values according to the groups (p<0.05) , Total Number of Items Processed (TN), Number of Correct Letters Missed (E1), Number of Incorrectly Marked Letters (E2), Raw Error Score (E), Total Items Processed-Raw Error Score (TN-E), Fluctuation Rate (FR) , Concentration Performance (CP), Eye-Motor Coordination, Shape Ground Separation, Perception of Shape Constancy, Perception of Position in Space, Space Relationships and Frostig Visual Perception Total values were not significantly different (p>0.05). Benton Visual Memory, TN, E, TN-E, CP, Eye-Motor Coordination, Figure Ground Separation, Frostig Visual Perception Total, Bilateral Coordination, Upper Limb Coordination, Balance values were statistically significant in the experimental group according to the pre and post-test. (p<0.05), no difference was observed in other parameters (p>0.05). There was no significant difference in all parameters of the control group compared to the pre-test and post-test (p>0.05). It can be said that life kinetic exercises regularly performed by individuals with mild intellectual disability contribute positively to the development of visual memory, perception, attention, coordination and balance