Active Free Time in Adolescents with and Without Intellectual Disability: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

Purpose: The core purpose of this research was: (1) to evaluate physical activity patterns (PA) using objective measuresamong high-school students and (2) access differences in PA patterns between students with intellectual disability (ID) and
their peers without disability.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study 175 students participated (94 boys and 81 girls), 84 students with ID (45 boys and 39
girls), and 91 students without disability (49 boys and 42 girls). Of 84 students with ID, 45 attended institutions for education
and rehabilitation, and 39 attended regular schools with special or adapted programs. The minutes that students spent in
different physical activity intensities were recorded over seven days and analysed using descriptive and nonparametric
statistical methods.
Results: The median value of moderate PA in students with ID in SCER and RSAP was 60.00 (18.80 - 103.80) min and 81.30
(3.70 - 138.00) min, while in students without ID it was 69.00 (49.70 - 108.70) min during the school-day leisure time. No
differences were detected. All three groups showed very similar values for time spent in moderate PA, with no statistically
significant differences observed (H(2)= .581, P= .747). Although 43.5% and 43.6% of students with intellectual disabilities
did not meet the recommended levels of PA compared with 35% of students without disabilities, no statistically significant
differences were observed.
Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that no significant differences were detected in active free time between
students with and without intellectual disabilities. However, this finding must be interpreted with caution due to the study’s
low statistical power.