Exploring The Social And Physical Benefits Of Adapted Table Tennis For Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities

PURPOSE: To explore the impact of table tennis on individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), both with and without Down syndrome, evaluating its social, and physical benefits, and how they improve their quality of life.

METHODS: Twenty-two participants with low and moderate ID, both genders (16 males and 5 females) who engage in tailored sessions 1-2 times per week, 1 hour per session, in Table Tennis training. Initial assessments included demographics, health-related fitness, basic motor skills, table tennis-specific abilities, and quality of life across four domains—physical health, psychological well-being, social relationships, and environment (WHOQOL-BREF)—as well as quality of life for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities (INICO-FEAPS Scale)

RESULTS: Among all participants, 6 had moderate ID, 10 had mild ID, and 6 had Down syndrome. Participants presented an average ID level of 58.90% ± 15.67. Age was 42.90 ± 13 years, weight was 79.41 ± 21.08 kg, and height was 165.71 ± 10.15 cm. The average body mass index (BMI) was 30.2 ± 5.64 kg/m2, and the mean waist circumference was 97.88 ± 25.78 cm. No initial differences were found in specific table tennis test among the disability groups in the rally test, rally exchange test, and serve test, except for the Down syndrome group, which had a score of 1.6 ± 0.96 vs the mild (2.25 ± 1.17) and the moderate ID groups (2.6 ± 0.89) (p < 0.05). Well-being, as measured by the WHOQOL-BREF scale, resulted in a score of 2.9 out of 5, and quality of life, as measured by the INICO-FEAPS scale, was 2.2 out of 5—both significantly below the typical range observed in the general population, indicating considerable room for improvement in various areas.

CONCLUSIONS: Adapted table tennis on individuals with ID could improve cognitive, social, and physical benefits, impacting their overall well-being and quality of life. More research is needed increasing the sample number and studying a table tennis intervention.