Carraro & Gobbi (2012) conducted a research study whose aim was to establish the anxiolytic effects of exercises. Intellectual disability is a neurodevelopmental condition that impairs mental functioning and adaptive functioning. It causes anxiety which is usually accompanied by feelings of excessive worry, tension, and agitation. More importantly, this anxiety leads to the activation of the automatic nervous system (ANS), which affects the ability of an individual to function correctly, thereby affecting their skills. Approximately 1% of the American population has intellectual disabilities, and the high levels of anxiety among these people indicate the need for the development of approaches and treatment methods that can improve the lives of these people. Therefore, the study by Carraro & Gobbi (2012) is about physical exercises and their anxiolytic effects on individuals with intellectual disability.
The question that the researchers were trying to answer is whether a regular exercise program can alleviate the anxiety that people with intellectual disability experience. Exercise has been previously used to manage stress, for meditation, for relaxation, and besides, it has also been used in cognitive behavioral therapy. Moreover, physical exercises have been proved to be beneficial for the general population and in the promotion of health. This question is therefore important because previous studies have established the benefits of physical exercises in the reduction of maladaptive behaviors, improvement of an individual's quality of life, as well as improved cognitive aspects.
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The experimental method of data collection used in the study was pre and post-test only method, where 27 participants with intellectual and rational disabilities were enrolled in a 12-week exercise program. The participants were divided into two groups, i.e., the control group (13 participants) and the exercise group (14 participants). Those in the control group were enrolled in a painting program while those in the experimental group were enrolled in a physical exercise program. Measures for the experiment were collected before the intervention began (at the baseline), in the middle of the intervention and at the end of the 12 weeks. From the interventions, the researchers found out that there was no significant difference in anxiety levels between the exercise group and the control group at the start of the intervention (at the baseline). However, measures made during the intervention established a significant difference in the levels of anxiety between the two groups, wherein the exercise group anxiety levels were much lower. At the end of the intervention, the results established that physical exercise had a much higher effect on anxiety than painting.
In their study, the researchers were trying to provide an answer to the question as to whether physical exercises can reduce the levels of anxiety in intellectually disabled individuals. The method uses, i.e., pretest and posttest method provided an answer to the question as the researchers were able to establish that physical exercises indeed have effects on anxiety levels. Use of a control group further enhanced the ability of the study to provide a suitable answer to the research question. The study concluded that physical exercises indeed has anxiolytic effects, among people with intellectual disability when compared to a sedentary activity such as painting. Therefore, next to pharmacological therapy, physical exercise can be considered a valid strategy for promoting the health of people with mental retardation. Besides, such an intervention is also cost-effective.
This article was selected because it is a report of the original work conducted by Carraro & Gobbi (2012). The study provides a cost-effective intervention for people with mental retardation, and results obtained from the study are valid since they are consistent with other studies conducted with regards to the same. The results from the article are also well-presented and easy to understand.
References
Carraro, A., & Gobbi, E. (2012). Effects of an exercise programme on anxiety in adults with intellectual disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities , 33 (4), 1221-1226. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2012.02.014
