Adapted physical activities for the intellectually challenged adolescent: psychomotor characteristics and implications for programming and motor intervention.

Intellectually challenged adolescents with varying degrees of functioning share common behavioral and psychomotor characteristics. A specially designed instructional approach and positive social attitude are necessary when dealing with this population. Research reveals that many of these individuals have developmental delays in the acquisition of basic motor skills. When compared as a group to their non-handicapped peers, intellectually challenged adolescents display low physical fitness and have perceptual-motor difficulties, which affect their learning. The major difficulty these individuals are faced with stems from language comprehension barriers and their failure to grasp instructions. In addition, some possess physical characteristics, which pose constraints in learning and performing of motor skills. A social attitude of equality and acceptance plays a major role in their successful inclusion in society. Researchers agree that the limitations mentioned above, affect the motivation of these individuals and lead to a lack of opportunity for regular participation in movement, physical activities and sports. This situation leads to low performance in the motor domain and in other areas as well. This article describes the behavioral and psychomotor characteristics of intellectually challenged individuals and offers general and specific recommendations for instruction and intervention.