Motor and cognitive outcomes of a culturally enriched dance intervention for adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities

This study investigated the effects of a culturally enriched dance intervention on motor and cognitive skills in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. Twenty-nine adolescents (15-19 years) were randomly assigned to experimental (EG) or control groups (CG); EG attended 80-minute dance sessions twice weekly for 10 weeks. The data collection tools were the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2, the Corsi Block Test, and the Mackworth Clock Test. The EG demonstrated significant improvements in fine motor control, manual coordination, strength and agility, and overall motor proficiency, but not in sustained attention or visuospatial working memory. These findings demonstrate that culturally enriched dance interventions significantly improve motor skills in adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. However, cognitive development may require the inclusion of additional cognitively stimulating elements in future programs. Overall, the results support the use of culturally based dance programs in special education to enhance motor development and promote physical activity.