Clinical trial · Interventional
Effects of a 12-Week Pickleball Training Program on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Adolescents With Mild Intellectual Disability
From Focus to Function: Effects of a 12-Week Pickleball Training Program on Cognitive and Motor Outcomes in Individuals With Intellectual Disability
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
This study aims to investigate the effects of a 12-week pickleball training program on cognitive and motor outcomes in adolescents with mild intellectual disability. Pickleball is a low-impact racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, and is considered suitable for promoting both physical and cognitive engagement. A total of 32 students aged 14-18 years with mild intellectual disability, enrolled in a special education vocational school, will participate in the study. Participants will be assigned to either an intervention group (n = 16) or a control group (n = 16). The intervention group will receive structured pickleball training three times per week for 12 weeks, while the control group will continue their regular educational activities without additional intervention. Cognitive outcomes will be assessed using standardized computerized tests, including sustained attention (Mackworth Clock Test), visual-spatial memory (Corsi Block Test), selective attention and reaction (Change Detection Test), and working memory (Digit Span Test). Motor outcomes will be evaluated using grip strength, balance assessments, and the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2). Assessments will be conducted at four time points: baseline (pre-test), mid-intervention (6th or 7th week), post-intervention (week 12), and follow-up (4-6 weeks after completion). The primary aim is to determine whether structured pickleball training improves cognitive performance and motor skills in adolescents with mild intellectual disability. Findings from this study are expected to contribute to evidence-based physical activity interventions for individuals with intellectual disabilities and to expand the literature on the role of racket sports in cognitive and motor development.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intellectual Disability, Mild | — | UNRESOLVED | — |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickleball Training Intervention Group | Behavioral | — | UNRESOLVED |
| Standard Special Education Curriculum | Other | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Pickleball Training Intervention Group
- description
- Participants assigned to this arm will participate in a 12-week structured pickleball training program. The intervention will be delivered three times per week under the supervision of a certified physical education specialist and an assistant instructor. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes and will include a standardized structure consisting of a 5-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of pickleball-specific training activities, and a 5-minute cool-down period. The training content will include fundamental and advanced pickleball skills such as serving, forehand and backhand strokes, volley, dink, lob, smash, drop shot, and basic game strategies. Sessions will be conducted either in the school gymnasium or outdoor court depending on environmental conditions. The intervention aims to improve motor proficiency, balance, strength, and cognitive performance in adolescents with mild intellectual disability.
- interventionNames
- Behavioral: Pickleball Training Intervention Group
- type
- ACTIVE_COMPARATOR
- label
- Standard Special Education Curriculum
- description
- Participants assigned to this arm will continue their regular special education curriculum without participation in any structured physical activity or pickleball-based training program during the study period.
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 14 Years
- Maximum age
- 18 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: * Having a diagnosis of mild intellectual disability * Being enrolled in a special education vocational high school * Being between 14 and 18 years of age * Having the ability to follow simple verbal instructions * Having no additional severe or secondary disability * Having no musculoskeletal condition preventing racket use * Providing voluntary assent and parental consent Exclusion Criteria: * Refusal to participate in the study at any stage * Irregular school attendance during the intervention period * Failure to attend pickleball training sessions consistently * Presence of a chronic medical condition limiting participation * Participation in racket sports within the last 3 months * Withdrawal of parental consent during the study
References
Publications (1)
- BACKGROUNDBohannon, R. W. (2019). Hand-grip dynamometry predicts future outcomes in aging adults. Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 31(1), 21-26. https://doi.org/10.1589/jpts.31.21 Boucsein, W. (2012). Electrodermal activity (2nd ed.). Springer. Bruininks RH and Bruininks BD (2005) Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition. PsycTESTS Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/t14991-000. Casals, M., Jimenez, S., Caparros, T., Gallego, R, M. & Baiget, E. (2023). Scoping review and quality of studies on the epidemiology of pickleball injuries. Apunts Sports Medicine, 58. Casper, Jonathan & Bocarro, Jason & Drake, Nicholas. (2023). Physical Activity Associated with Older Adult Pickleball Participation: A Pilot Study. Recreational Sports Journal. 47. Chien, T. C., & Chen, C. C. (2025). Effects of Pickleball intervention on the self-esteem and symptoms of patients with schizophrenia. Sports, 13(1), 21. Chiles, L. (2025). Pickleball for all: Adaptive sports program to address developmental disabilities (pp. 2-14). Texas Woman's University. Fishman, M., & Hirsch, L. J. (2019). Electroencephalography (EEG) is the non invasive measurement of the brain's electric fields. Current Biology, 29(1), 444-450.