THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITY ON MALADAPTED BEHAVIORS AND PHYSICAL FITNESS OF INSTITUTIONALIZED, MENTALLY RETARDED/EMOTIONALLY DISTURBED ADULTS

This study investigated the effect of individualized physical fitness training on select collateral maladapted behaviors and physical fitness of institutionalized, mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed adults. The subjects were five mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed individuals residing in a state institution, who displayed a high frequency of maladapted behaviors.;Initially, the data were converted and the analysis involved graphic inspection of the subjects' maladapted behaviors across phases and raw fitness scores across probes. The second process of data analysis involved subjecting the data to a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) yielding F values of the group across these research phases and probes. A confidence level was set at .01. Significance was established for maladapted behavior change between the baseline and intervention phases but not the retention phases. Significance was evident among progressive fitness probes including the retention data.;Daily intervention consisted of specifically programmed physical fitness activities which included stretching activities, muscular endurance activities, and cardiovascular activities.;Regular reliability checks yielded a 95 percent agreement for observed presence of targeted behavior. Also, a Likert-related questionnaire was used to establish strong social validity.;An interval recording form was utilized for data collection of maladapted behavior. Data were collected for one hour after fitness training would have occurred or did occur. These data were collected for two-one week baseline phases, two-three week intervention phases, and four follow-up sessions. Fitness data were collected pre-post, pre-post over a seven week period. Follow-up fitness data were collected two weeks after intervention was discontinued.;Within the limitations of this study, the following conclusions can be drawn for these dually-diagnosed, mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed adults: (1) Daily physical fitness activity did have a significant effect on the frequency of collateral maladapted behavior for one hour post exercise. (2) Daily exercise did have a significant effect on the level of physical fitness, specifically: daily stretching did have an effect on flexibility level, participation in muscular endurance activities did have an effect on muscular endurance level, and stationary bicycle riding and running/walking did have an effect on cardiovascular endurance level. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.).