Increasing Exercise Intensity: Teaching High-Intensity Interval Training to Individuals with Developmental Disabilities Using a Lottery Reinforcement System

Rates of overweight and obesity are above 70% in typically developing adults in the United States, with higher rates observed in individuals diagnosed with developmental disability (DD). Lottery reinforcement systems have been validated as effective exercise interventions for individuals with DD. Although high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has demonstrated health benefits, it has not been studied using individuals within this population. The purpose of this study was to implement a lottery reinforcement system to systematically increase heart rate (HR) during 30-min HIIT sessions with 3 adults with DD. Results demonstrated increases in HR from below to within the prescribed range in all 3 participants. For 1 participant, weight decreased by 10.8 pounds during the 9-week program. Implications include that lottery systems increase exercise intensity with adults with DD, that HR during exercise can be reliably controlled using a lottery system, and that similar programs may result in health benefits.