Date of Graduation

1988

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of a developmental motor program on the development of three fundamental motor skills of Down Syndrome preschool age children. The two participants for the study were both four years old. Each participant and a parent (mother) participated in a nine week community based preschool developmental motor program (KinderSkills) operated by the School of Physical Education at West Virginia University. Intervention was provided sequentially to the motor skills of catching, throwing and striking through involvement in developmentally appropriate motor activities and guided parent instruction. Each participant's process characteristic levels of the three motor skills were evaluated through biomechanical analysis utilizing the Carson Assessment of Motor Patterns (CAMP). The intervention was further supported through monitored appropriateness of the parents' teaching behaviors employing the West Virginia University Teacher Evaluation System. The results were visually inspected through single case design methodology, multiple baseline across behaviors, indicating changes in the process characteristics of the three motor skills. The participants also displayed increased risk taking behaviors, demonstrated by their engagement in motor activities that involved minimal risks of height and balance. These findings of this study warrant the enhancement of the motor development domain of the preschool Down Syndrome child through structured, developmentally appropriate instruction, and add to the growing body of knowledge advocating early education intervention.

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