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Effects of a 12-Week Pickleball Training Program on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Adolescents With Mild Intellectual Disability (PBID-12)

8 mei 2026 bijgewerkt door: Elif Top

From Focus to Function: Effects of a 12-Week Pickleball Training Program on Cognitive and Motor Outcomes in Individuals With Intellectual Disability

This study aims to investigate the effects of a 12-week pickleball training program on cognitive and motor outcomes in adolescents with mild intellectual disability. Pickleball is a low-impact racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, and is considered suitable for promoting both physical and cognitive engagement.

A total of 32 students aged 14-18 years with mild intellectual disability, enrolled in a special education vocational school, will participate in the study. Participants will be assigned to either an intervention group (n = 16) or a control group (n = 16). The intervention group will receive structured pickleball training three times per week for 12 weeks, while the control group will continue their regular educational activities without additional intervention.

Cognitive outcomes will be assessed using standardized computerized tests, including sustained attention (Mackworth Clock Test), visual-spatial memory (Corsi Block Test), selective attention and reaction (Change Detection Test), and working memory (Digit Span Test). Motor outcomes will be evaluated using grip strength, balance assessments, and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2).

Assessments will be conducted at four time points: baseline (pre-test), mid-intervention (6th or 7th week), post-intervention (week 12), and follow-up (4-6 weeks after completion). The primary aim is to determine whether structured pickleball training improves cognitive performance and motor skills in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.

Findings from this study are expected to contribute to evidence-based physical activity interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities and to expand the literature on the role of racket sports in cognitive and motor development.

Studie Overzicht

Gedetailleerde beschrijving

This study will be conducted using a quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test control group design to examine the effects of a 12-week pickleball training program on physical and cognitive outcomes in individuals with mild intellectual disability. Participants will be recruited from a special education vocational school and will be aged between 14 and 18 years.

Participants will be assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group will participate in a structured pickleball training program for 12 weeks, delivered three times per week. Each session will include two on-court practice sessions and one skill-based training session focusing on fundamental movement and sport-specific skills. Each training session will consist of a 5-minute warm-up, a 40-minute main activity phase, and a 5-minute cool-down period. The control group will continue their regular school-based physical education and daily academic routines without additional intervention.

Outcome assessments will be conducted at four time points: baseline (pre-test), mid-intervention (week 6-7), post-intervention (week 12), and follow-up (4-6 weeks after completion of the intervention). All assessments will be administered by the same research team using standardized protocols to ensure consistency.

Cognitive functions will be evaluated using computer-based tests from the Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) battery. Sustained attention will be assessed using the Mackworth Clock Test, visuospatial working memory using the Corsi Block Test, selective attention and change detection ability using the Change Detection Test, and processing speed and short-term memory using the Digit Span Test.

Motor performance will be assessed using the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2) short form. This standardized assessment evaluates fine motor precision, bilateral coordination, balance, agility, and strength-related motor skills.

In addition, handgrip strength will be measured using a handheld dynamometer, and lower extremity muscular endurance will be assessed using the 30-second sit-to-stand test. Balance performance will also be evaluated through the BOT-2 balance subtests.

All intervention sessions will be adapted to the functional abilities of participants to ensure safety and accessibility. Activities will be delivered by a qualified instructor supported by an assistant instructor, with individualized guidance provided as needed.

Data will be analyzed using appropriate statistical methods based on distribution assumptions. A mixed-design repeated measures ANOVA will be used to examine group-by-time interactions. The level of significance will be set at p < .05.

Studietype

Ingrijpend

Inschrijving (Werkelijk)

32

Fase

  • Niet toepasbaar

Contacten en locaties

In dit gedeelte vindt u de contactgegevens van degenen die het onderzoek uitvoeren en informatie over waar dit onderzoek wordt uitgevoerd.

Studie Locaties

    • Burdur
      • Burdur, Burdur, Turkije (Türkiye), 15200
        • Şehit Hakan Aktürk Special Education Vocational School

Deelname Criteria

Onderzoekers zoeken naar mensen die aan een bepaalde beschrijving voldoen, de zogenaamde geschiktheidscriteria. Enkele voorbeelden van deze criteria zijn iemands algemene gezondheidstoestand of eerdere behandelingen.

Geschiktheidscriteria

Leeftijden die in aanmerking komen voor studie

  • Kind
  • Volwassen

Accepteert gezonde vrijwilligers

Nee

Beschrijving

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Having a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability
  • Being enrolled in a special education vocational high school
  • Being between 14 and 18 years of age
  • Having the ability to follow simple verbal instructions
  • Having no additional severe or secondary disability
  • Having no musculoskeletal condition preventing racket use
  • Providing voluntary assent and parental consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Refusal to participate in the study at any stage
  • Irregular school attendance during the intervention period
  • Failure to attend pickleball training sessions consistently
  • Presence of a chronic medical condition limiting participation
  • Participation in racket sports within the last 3 months
  • Withdrawal of parental consent during the study

Studie plan

Dit gedeelte bevat details van het studieplan, inclusief hoe de studie is opgezet en wat de studie meet.

Hoe is de studie opgezet?

Ontwerpdetails

  • Primair doel: Ander
  • Toewijzing: Niet-gerandomiseerd
  • Interventioneel model: Parallelle opdracht
  • Masker: Geen (open label)

Wapens en interventies

Deelnemersgroep / Arm
Interventie / Behandeling
Experimenteel: Pickleball Training Intervention Group

Participants assigned to this arm will participate in a 12-week structured pickleball training program. The intervention will be delivered three times per week under the supervision of a certified physical education specialist and an assistant instructor. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes and will include a standardized structure consisting of a 5-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of pickleball-specific training activities, and a 5-minute cool-down period.

The training content will include fundamental and advanced pickleball skills such as serving, forehand and backhand strokes, volley, dink, lob, smash, drop shot, and basic game strategies. Sessions will be conducted either in the school gymnasium or outdoor court depending on environmental conditions. The intervention aims to improve motor proficiency, balance, strength, and cognitive performance in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.

A structured 12-week pickleball training intervention will be implemented for adolescents with mild intellectual disability. The program will be delivered three times per week under the supervision of a qualified physical education specialist and an assistant instructor. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes and will follow a standardized structure consisting of a 5-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of skill-based pickleball training, and a 5-minute cool-down period.

The training content will include progressive instruction and practice of fundamental and advanced pickleball skills, including serving, forehand and backhand strokes, volley, dink, lob, smash, drop shot, and basic tactical gameplay. Sessions will be conducted in either an indoor gymnasium or outdoor court depending on weather conditions. The intervention is designed to improve motor proficiency, balance, muscular strength, and cognitive performance in participants with mild intellectual disability.

Actieve vergelijker: Standard Special Education Curriculum
Participants assigned to this arm will continue their regular special education curriculum without participation in any structured physical activity or pickleball-based training program during the study period.
Participants in the control group will continue their standard special education curriculum without participation in any structured physical activity or pickleball-based training throughout the study period.

Wat meet het onderzoek?

Primaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Sustained Attention
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Week 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Sustained attention will be assessed using the Mackworth Clock Test. Higher scores indicate better sustained attention performance.
Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Week 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Visuospatial Working Memory
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Visuospatial working memory will be assessed using the Block Test. Higher scores indicate better visuospatial working memory performance.
Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Selective Attention
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Selective attention will be assessed using the Change Detection Test. Higher scores indicate better selective attention performance.
Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Working Memory
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Working memory will be assessed using the Digit Span Test. Higher scores indicate better working memory performance.
Baseline (Week 0, pre-intervention), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Motor Proficiency
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Motor proficiency will be assessed using the BOT-2 Short Form. Higher scores indicate better motor proficiency.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Balance
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Balance performance will be assessed using the balance subtests of the BOT-2. Higher scores indicate better balance performance.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Hand Grip Strength
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Hand grip strength will be measured using a hand dynamometer. Higher scores indicate greater grip strength.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Lower Limb Strength
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Lower limb strength will be assessed using the 30-second sit-to-stand test. Higher repetition scores indicate greater lower limb strength.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)

Secundaire uitkomstmaten

Uitkomstmaat
Maatregel Beschrijving
Tijdsspanne
Height
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Height will be measured in centimeters to assess anthropometric characteristics.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Body Weight
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Body weight will be measured in kilograms to assess anthropometric characteristics.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Body Mass Index (BMI)
Tijdsspanne: Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)
Body mass index (BMI) will be calculated using height and body weight measurements and reported in kg/m² to assess anthropometric characteristics.
Baseline (Week 0), Mid-intervention (Weeks 6-7), Post-intervention (Week 12), and Follow-up (4-6 weeks after intervention completion)

Medewerkers en onderzoekers

Hier vindt u mensen en organisaties die betrokken zijn bij dit onderzoek.

Sponsor

Onderzoekers

  • Hoofdonderzoeker: Elif Top, Prof.Dr., Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Publicaties en nuttige links

De persoon die verantwoordelijk is voor het invoeren van informatie over het onderzoek stelt deze publicaties vrijwillig ter beschikking. Dit kan gaan over alles wat met het onderzoek te maken heeft.

Algemene publicaties

  • Bohannon, R. W. (2019). Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 31(1), 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.31.21 Boucsein, W. (2012). Electrodermal activity (2nd ed.). Springer. Bruininks RH and Bruininks BD (2005) Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition. PsycTESTS Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/t14991-000. Casals, M., Jimenez, S., Caparros, T., Gallego, R, M. & Baiget, E. (2023). Scoping review and quality of studies on the epidemiology of pickleball injuries. Apunts Sports Medicine, 58. Casper, Jonathan & Bocarro, Jason & Drake, Nicholas. (2023). Physical Activity Associated with Older Adult Pickleball Participation: A Pilot Study. Recreational Sports Journal. 47. Chien, T. C., & Chen, C. C. (2025). Effects of Pickleball intervention on the self-esteem and symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Sports, 13(1), 21. Chiles, L. (2025). Pickleball for all: Adaptive sports program to address developmental disabilities (pp. 2-14). Texas Woman's University. Fishman, M., & Hirsch, L. J. (2019). Electroencephalography (EEG) is the non invasive measurement of the brain's electric fields. Current Biology, 29(1), 444-450.

Studie record data

Deze datums volgen de voortgang van het onderzoeksdossier en de samenvatting van de ingediende resultaten bij ClinicalTrials.gov. Studieverslagen en gerapporteerde resultaten worden beoordeeld door de National Library of Medicine (NLM) om er zeker van te zijn dat ze voldoen aan specifieke kwaliteitscontrolenormen voordat ze op de openbare website worden geplaatst.

Bestudeer belangrijke data

Studie start (Werkelijk)

9 februari 2026

Primaire voltooiing (Geschat)

5 mei 2026

Studie voltooiing (Geschat)

1 juni 2026

Studieregistratiedata

Eerst ingediend

28 april 2026

Eerst ingediend dat voldeed aan de QC-criteria

8 mei 2026

Eerst geplaatst (Werkelijk)

14 mei 2026

Updates van studierecords

Laatste update geplaatst (Werkelijk)

14 mei 2026

Laatste update ingediend die voldeed aan QC-criteria

8 mei 2026

Laatst geverifieerd

1 april 2026

Meer informatie

Termen gerelateerd aan deze studie

Plan Individuele Deelnemersgegevens (IPD)

Bent u van plan om gegevens van individuele deelnemers (IPD) te delen?

NEE

Beschrijving IPD-plan

Individual participant data will not be shared due to ethical considerations and the sensitive nature of the study population, which includes individuals with mild intellectual disability. Data confidentiality and participant privacy will be strictly maintained in accordance with institutional and ethical guidelines. Additionally, data use is limited to the approved scope of the present study.

Informatie over medicijnen en apparaten, studiedocumenten

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd geneesmiddel

Nee

Bestudeert een door de Amerikaanse FDA gereguleerd apparaatproduct

Nee

Deze informatie is zonder wijzigingen rechtstreeks van de website clinicaltrials.gov gehaald. Als u verzoeken heeft om uw onderzoeksgegevens te wijzigen, te verwijderen of bij te werken, neem dan contact op met register@clinicaltrials.gov. Zodra er een wijziging wordt doorgevoerd op clinicaltrials.gov, wordt deze ook automatisch bijgewerkt op onze website .

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