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This study aimed to evaluate the effect of age and intellectual disability (ID) on postural balance parameters, dual-task cost (DTC), and choice reaction time (CRT). Fifty-eight individuals with ID and 55 peers without ID performed a postural stance balance task under two conditions: a single task with eyes open and dual task involving an additional cognitive task (light sequence). Four postural balance parameters (total displacement, total sway area, mediolateral, and anteroposterior dispersion), cost of the dual task ([DTC%] = [(single-task performance - dual-task performance)/single-task performance] × 100), and CRT were recorded, calculated, and analyzed. All postural control parameters reflected poorerperformance during the dual-task condition, nevertheless, DTC was significantly higher only in individuals with ID and only for the total sway area, F(1, 111) = 5.039, p = .027, and mediolateral dispersion, F(1, 111) = 6.576, p = .012. CRT was longer in individuals with ID compared with the individuals without ID, F(1, 111) = 94.979, p ≤ .001, while age did not have a significant effect on the DTC nor on the CRT, F(1, 111) = 0.074, p = .786. In conclusion, an additional cognitive task during the postural balance task had a detrimental effect on various postural balance parameters, leading to increased DTC in terms of total sway area, mediolateral dispersion, and prolonged CRT in individuals with ID.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 14-week resistance training programme implemented with high levels of effort to improve physical fitness in people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) living in group homes., Methods: Fifty-two individuals with mild to moderate IDs participated in the experimental (n = 27; 15 men) or control groups (n = 25; 14 men). Participants performed 2 familiarisation sessions, 1 pretest, 42 training sessions (14 weeks × 3 sessions; only the experimental group) and 1 posttest. The testing sessions comprised the evaluation of body composition, static balance and muscle strength. The training sessions included four blocks: (1) dynamic bodyweight exercises, (2) dynamic exercises performed against external loads, (3) ballistic exercises and (4) static exercises., Results: The main findings revealed that all variables related to body composition and muscle strength improved more after the intervention period in the experimental group than the control group, whereas the improvements in static balance for the experimental groups were lower than for the remaining variables used as markers of physical fitness., Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of prescribing specific moderate-intensity to high-intensity resistance training programmes to improve body composition and muscle strength for people with IDs living in group homes., (© 2023 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic might negatively impact the quality of life and functional autonomy of Spanish adults with intellectual disability, and meaningful activities could prevent this negative progression., Methods: This is a prospective cohort study in Spanish adults with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Quality of life, functional autonomy and functional independence were measured. The meaningful activities studied were structured-leisure, community self-management, and occupational and physical activities., Results: Seventy-three participants were included in the study. Quality of life and functional autonomy significantly deteriorated during the COVID-19 pandemic (all p > .001). Greater participation in community self-management activities before COVID-19 was associated with less detriment to quality of life (ß = -.312; p = .008), while greater participation in occupational and physical activities was associated with less detriment to the performance of instrumental activities (ß = -.317; p = .016; and ß = -.285; p = .030, respectively)., Conclusion: People with intellectual disability living in residential homes experienced a decrease in their quality of life and functional autonomy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their involvement in community self-management activities and physical and occupational activities before the pandemic had preventive effects on the detriment to the quality of life and functional autonomy., (© 2023 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The main objective of this study was to compare the physical condition of people with intellectual disabilities living in residential homes (RH; restricted residential environment) versus independent homes (IH; family houses while performing paid work). The effect of gender on physical condition was also evaluated separately for each group., Method: Sixty individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disability, 30 living in RH and 30 living in IH, participated in this study. The RH and IH groups were homogeneous in terms of gender distribution (17 males and 13 females) and intellectual disability level. Body composition, postural balance, and static and dynamic force were considered as dependent variables., Results: The IH group performed better in the postural balance and dynamic force tests compared to the RH group, but no significant differences between the groups were observed for any body composition or static force variable. Women in both groups tended to have better postural balance than men, while men presented higher dynamic force., Conclusions: The IH group presented a higher physical fitness compared to RH group. This result emphasises the need to increase the frequency and intensity of the physical activity sessions commonly programed for individuals living in RH., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)