The Impact of Brain Gym Exercises on Mind for The Children with Mild Level of Intellectual Disabilities

Yıl 2025, Cilt: 6 Sayı: 1, 11 - 18, 27.03.2025

Makbule Karcı , Bilsen Sirmen

https://doi.org/10.58770/joinihp.1588039

Öz

This study has been planned to identify the impact of brain gym (BG) exercises on the mind for children with mild levels of intellectual disability and to provide the more common use of BG exercises in rehabilitation programs. A total of 24 intellectually disabled students, 10 girls, and 14 boys, aged between 6 and 18 years, studying at Bağcılar Başak Special Education and Rehabilitation Center School were included in the study. To identify the intelligence level of the students, in order they have been applied Bender Gestalt Visual Perception Test and Wechlers Intelligence Test by expert psychologist. Then while individual private training session as 6 hours per month and with the observation of the physiotherapist 15-minute sessions three times a week have been given to the experiment group, the control group received only private training session 6 times a month. Also the exercises given to the experiment group have been required as homework. After 6 weeks of training the tests which had been applied at the beginning were applied to both groups again. Participants demonstrated significant improvements in Bender Gestalt Visual Perception Test reducing the error score after working (p<0.05). The results obtained from the study showed that BG exercise training applied to students with intellectual disabilities positively affected cognitive abilities.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brain Gym, Intellectual disabilities, Learning, Neuroplasty

Hafif Düzeyde Zihinsel Engelli Çocuklarda Brain Gym Egzersizlerinin Zeka Üzerindeki Etkisi

Öz

Bu çalışma, hafif düzeyde zihinsel engelli çocuklarda brain gym (BG) zihin üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek ve rehabilitasyon programlarında BG’nin daha yaygın kullanılmasını sağlamak amacıyla planlanmıştır. Çalışmaya Bağcılar Başak Özel Eğitim ve Rehabilitasyon Merkezi Okulu'nda öğrenim gören, yaşları 6 ile 18 arasında değişen 10 kız ve 14 erkek olmak üzere toplam 24 zihinsel engelli öğrenci dahil edildi. Öğrencilerin zeka düzeylerini belirlemek amacıyla uzman psikolog eşliğinde Bender Gestalt Görsel Algı Testi ve Wechlers Zeka Testi uygulanmıştır. Daha sonra deney grubuna ayda 6 saat, bireysel özel eğitim ile birlikte fizyoterapist gözetiminde haftada 3 gün 15'er dakikalık BG eğitimi verilirken, kontrol grubuna sadece ayda 6 kez özel eğitim seansları verilmiştir. Ayrıca deney grubuna verilen egzersizler ev programı olarak verilmiştir. 6 haftalık eğitimden sonra başlangıçta uygulanan testler her iki gruba tekrar uygulanmıştır. Katılımcıların Bender Gestalt Görsel Algı Testi'nde çalışma sonrasında hata puanlarında azalma ile anlamlı iyileşmeler görülmüştür (p<0.05). Çalışmadan elde edilen sonuçlar, zihinsel engelli öğrencilere uygulanan BG eğitiminin zihni olumlu yönde etkilediğini göstermiştir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Brain Gym, Zihinsel engellilik, Öğrenme, Nöroplastisite

Kaynakça

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