Roy J. Shephard The value of an individually supervised physical activity program with a strong social skills component was examined for 45 students with learning disabilities (34 boys, 11 girls; mean age = 9.4 ±1.1 years). Subjects were randomly divided into an experimental group of 23 students who received two 90-minute exercise sessions for each of 10 weeks, and a control group of 22 students who received equal individualized attention through extra academic instruction. Scores for the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency, teacher ratings of social behavior, and self-perceptions of academic and nonacademic competence showed strong effects of time, but no substantial time treatment interaction. Time effects on social behaviors persisted 3 months following treatment, suggesting that they reflected extra attention, rather than an expectancy, or halo, effect. There would seem to be merit in further exploring the value of extra attention, which here was provided to students with learning disabilities by volunteers with limited formal training.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Arbuckle, J. L. (1993). Analysis of moment structures.Philadelphia: Temple University Press.
2.
Bluechardt, M. H. S. (1994). Effects of an after-school physical activity programme on social skills and motor proficiency of learning disabled children aged 8--11 years. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto.
3.
Bluechardt, M., Wiener, J., & Shephard, R. J. (in press). Responses of learning disabled students to extracurricular physical activity. Sports Medicine.
4.
Bruininks, R. H. (1978). Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency: Examiner's manual.Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
5.
Elkind, D. (1984). All grown up and no place to go.Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
6.
Gottlieb, B. W., Gottlieb, J., Berkell, D., & Levy, L. (1986). Sociometric status and solitary play of LD boys and girls. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 19, 619–622.
7.
Grolnick, W. S., & Ryan, R. M. (1990). Self-perceptions, motivation, and the adjustment of children with learning disabilities: A multiple group comparison study. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 23, 177–184.
8.
Harter, S. (1981). The development of competence motivation in the mastery of cognitive and physical skills: Is there still a place for joy? In G. C. Roberts & D. M. Landers (Eds.), Psychology of motor behavior and sport (pp. 3–29). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
9.
Haubenstricker, J. L.Motor development in children with learning disabilities. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1982, 53(5), 41–43.
10.
Hauser, S., & Bowlds, M. (1990). Stress, coping and adaptation. In S. Feldman & G. Elliott (Eds.), At the threshold, the developing adolescent (pp. 388–413). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
11.
Kaufman, A. S., & Kaufman, N. L. (1985). Kaufman test of educational achievement. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service.
12.
Kavale, K., & Mattson, P. D. (1983). “One jumped off the balance beam”: Metaanalysis of perceptual-motor training. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 16, 165–173.
13.
Keppel, G. (1982). Correcting for multiple comparisons. In G. Keppel (Ed.), Design and analysis: A researcher's handbook (2nd ed., pp. 144–166). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
14.
Kistner, J. A., Haskett, M., & Robbins, F. (1987). Perceived competence and selfworth of learning disabled and normally achieving students. Learning Disability Quarterly, 10, 37–44.
15.
Marascuilo, L. A., & Serlin, R. C. (1988). Power and sample size. In L. A. Marascuilo & R. C. Serlin (Ed.), Statistical methods for the social and behavioral sciences (pp. 739–751). New York: W. H. Freeman.
16.
McGinnis, E., Goldstein, A. P., Sprafkin, R. P., & Gershaw, N. J. (1984). Skill-streaming the elementary school child: A guide for teaching pro-social skills.Champaign, IL: Research Press.
17.
McIntosh, R., Vaughn, S., & Zaragoza, N. (1991). A review of social interventions for students with learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 24, 451–458.
18.
Mercer, C. D., Hughes, C., & Mercer, A. R. (1985). Learning disabilities definitions used by state education departments. Learning Disability Quarterly, 8, 45–55.
19.
Norris, D., & Boucher, J. (1980). Observing children through their formative years.Toronto, Ontario: Board of Education for the City of Toronto.
Reid, G.Skill-upgrading programs. Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1987, 53(5), 6–11.
22.
Renick, M., & Harter, S. (1988). Manual for the self-perception profile for learning disabled students.Denver: University of Denver.
23.
Rubinson, L., & Neutens, J. (1989). Conducting experimental research. In L. Rubinson & J. Neutens (Eds.), Research techniques for the health sciences (pp. 57–80). New York: Macmillan.
24.
SAS. (1989). SAS user's guide (5th ed.). Cary, NC: SAS Institute.
25.
Sattler, J. M. (1988). Assessment of children.San Diego, CA: Jerome Sattler.
26.
Schneider, B. H. (1992). Didactic methods for enhancing children's peer relations: A quantitative review. Clinical Psychology Review, 12, 363–382.
27.
Sherrill, C. (1986). Adapted physical education and recreation.Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown.
28.
Silver, L. B. (1989). Psychological and family problems associated with learning disabilities: Assessment and intervention. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 28, 319–325.
29.
Spivak, G., Platt, J. J., & Shure, M. B. (1976). The problem-solving approach to adjustment.San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
30.
Swanson, H. L. (1988). Toward a meta-theory of learning disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 21, 196–210.
31.
Vallerand, R. J., & Reid, G. (1985). Intrinsic motivation: Implications for teaching the failure-prone performer. Unpublished manuscript.
32.
Wall, A. E.Fostering physical activity among Canadians with disabilities. Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation, 1990, 56(1), 28–31.
33.
Wechsler, D. (1974). Manual for the Wechsler intelligence scale for children-Revised.San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corp.
34.
Weiss, M. R. (1987). Self-esteem and achievement in children's sport and physical activity. In D. Gould & M. R. Weiss (Eds.), Advances in pediatric sport sciences: Behavioral issues (pp. 87–119). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
35.
Weissberg, R. P., Gesten, E. L., Rapkin, B. D., Cowen, E. L., Davidson, E., Flores de Apodaca, R., & McKim, B. J. (1981). Evaluation of a social-problem-solving training program for suburban and inner-city third-grade children. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 49, 251–261.
36.
Wessel, J. A., & Kelly, L. (1986). Achievement-based curriculum development in physical education (pp. 62–65). Philadelphia, PA: Lea & Febiger.
37.
Wiener, J., & Harris, P. J. (1993). Evaluation of an individualized, context-based social skills training program for children with learning disabilities.Toronto: Ontario Institute for Studies in Education.
38.
Wiener, J., & Siegel, L. (1989). Correlates of peer status in learning disabled children.Ottawa: Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.
39.
Woodcock, R. W. (1977). Woodcock-Johnson psycho-educational battery.Allen, TX: DLM Teaching Resources.
