Effectiveness of play therapy on motor skills and visual-motor integration of toddlers with preterm birth

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student in Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant professor of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

3 Assistant professor of Motor Behavior, Sport Sciences Research Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.

4 Professor of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Imam Hussein University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of play therapy on motor skills and visual-motor integration of children aged 2 to 4 years of age with preterm birth. This study was an experimental research with pre-test, post-test control group design. The statistical population consisted of children aged 2 to 4 years old with a preterm birth in Amol, Iran. The sample of this study, who were qualified according to inclusion criteria, included 20 children who were selected by available sampling method and then randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The experimental group (n=10) participated in 24 sessions (8 weeks, 3 sessions per week for one hour) of play therapy, while the control group (n=10) did not participate in the intervention. Study tools included Peabody Development Motor Scales (Folio & Fewell, 2000) and Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery, Buktenica & Beery, 2010). Data were analyzed using analysis of covariance; ANCOVA. Results of two separate tests of covariance analysis showed that the experimental group had better scores in total motor quotient (p < 0.0) and visual-motor integration (p < 0.05) in comparison to control group. The results of this study showed that the scores of motor development and visual-motor integration tests of the experimental group were higher than the control group. Therefore, a special rehabilitation program is needed to compensate for the delayed motor development and improving the visual-motor integration of preterm children.
 

Keywords

References

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Empowering Exceptional Children
Volume 9, Issue 1
September 2018
Pages 21-32

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  • Receive Date: 10 September 2018
  • Accept Date: 10 September 2018

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