Efficacy of therapeutic recreation on cognitive abilities of trainable mentally challenged children

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to find out the influence of therapeutic recreation on cognitive abilities of trainable mentally challenged children. To achieve this purpose, forty moderate (Trainable) mentally challenged children were randomly selected from Balavighar school, kilpauk, Chennai. The subjects who adolescent boys and girls ranging from 12 to 17 years of age. They were randomly divided into two equal groups. The experimental group consists of 20 moderate mentally challenged children and control group 20 moderate mentally challenged children. The subjects were trained for 12 weeks with therapeutic recreation like yoga, aerobics, calisthenics, and music therapy. The Cognitive Domain (Memory and Attentional focus) selected as a criterion variables were recorded prior, mid and immediately after the training program by test (identification and reading) through the special educators. The Two way repeated measures of ANOVA were applied to find out the significant difference if any in the criterion variables between pre mid and post-tests. The result of the study revealed that there was significant differences on Cognitive Domain (Memory and Attentional focus) after a training period of 12 weeks.