Date of Award
5-1-2025
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Behavior Analysis and Therapy
First Advisor
Redner, Ryan
Abstract
Physical activity is an essential component of an overall healthy lifestyle. It has been shown that implementing weekly physical activities reduces the risk of non-communicative diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. There have been an increasing number of studies showing that the physical activity of those with learning disabilities is much lower than that of neurotypical individuals. More studies are needed to identify effective interventions to increase the physical activity of those with learning disabilities. The current study evaluated the effect of the Don’t Stop Game on the mean number of steps taken per minute with adults that have a learning disability. Participants were divided into two teams, and the teams were asked to remain active for the entire session without stopping; if a participant stopped, a demerit would be delivered to the team. The team with the least number of demerits at the end of the sessions would participate in a prize drawing. A multielement design, the Don’t Stop Game was compared to the Step it UP! Game and baseline conditions. The mean step count increased from 44.60 during baseline and 90.85 during the Step it UP! Game to 95.73 during the Don’t Stop Game intervention.
Access
This thesis is Open Access and may be downloaded by anyone.