Effectiveness of Active Video Games in Children With Intellectual Disabilities
Condition: Intellectual Disability
MeSH terms: Intellectual Disability
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Background: Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) are more vulnerable to obesity when
      compared to the normal children (Getchell et al., 2012; Maiano, 2011). Active video games
      (AVGs) on physical activity (PA) behavior have attracted academic interest and exploration
      since 2000. It has been demonstrated that an intervention with AVGs is compatible with the
      school setting and behavioral change in health and PA (Lau, et al., 2015). However, special
      populations such as ID children and their needs have been neglected in this area (Martins,
      Carvalho & Soares, 2011). ID children's PA behavior, motor ability and physical fitness is
      still an under-explored area.

      Aims: To determine the effect of a prescribed AVG intervention on ID children's PA levels
      (sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous), motor ability, and physical fitness. The
      intervention effects in children with mild intellectual disability will be explored.

      Design: A standard two-arm parallel, single-blinded, randomized control cluster trial.

      Schools: Participants will be recruited from six special schools in Hong Kong. Schools with
      same intellectual disability categories will be randomly assigned into intervention group and
      control group.

      Participants: 200 Children aged 8~18 years old with intellectual disabilities will be
      recruited.

      Intervention: ID children randomized to the intervention group will participate in an AVG
      intervention 60 minutes per week for 12 weeks in their PE class, in addition to their usual
      activity levels. The research team will prescribe updated AVG consistent with
      moderate-vigorous intensity.

      Control: The control group will continue with usual PA alone and will not receive the AVG
      intervention.

      Analysis: Repeated measures mixed model (2 groups X 2 time points (12-week post- test and
      8-week follow up test)) by SPSS 23.0 will be used to investigate the intervention effect on
      primary and secondary outcomes, adjusting for baseline characteristics and correlation
      between repeated observations.

      Significance: This will be the pioneering study to provide definitive evidence for the impact
      of a prescribed AVG intervention on ID children's PA level, motor ability and physical
      fitness. If effective, this research will provide significant evidence from the innovative
      method to inform health professionals and PE teachers how to incorporate AVG to enhance
      physical active behaviors, motor ability and physical fitness in ID children. Finally they
      may be able to enjoy a better quality of life.
    


Intervention name(s): Intervention with active video games
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants in intervention group were paired up by their teachers. Each participant had a classmate playing with him/her, and the waiting time is minimal because Xbox 360 Kinect allowed double play mode. The intervention group was provided with an AVG, the Xbox 360 Kinect technology (Kinect Sports Seasons I & II, including bowling, soccer, boxing, track and field, table tennis, beach volleyball, golf, tennis). The AVG intervention consisted of two 30-min sessions per week, for a total of 12 weeks. Participants either played in PE classes and/or recess. They had no other specific routing of activities but straight played the AVG during the intervention. They could free to choose games they like in the Xbox 360. The AVGs of Xbox 360 chosen was of moderate to vigorous intensity (3-6 METs) and no matter what games they chose, their PA level would be between moderate and vigorous intensity.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: exergame; children with intellectual disability; physical activity; motor proficiency