Effects of a 12-Week Pickleball Training Program on Cognitive and Motor Skills in Adolescents With Mild Intellectual Disability

Summary

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

• Intellectual Disability, Mild

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Pickleball Training Intervention Group

A structured 12-week pickleball training intervention will be implemented for adolescents with mild intellectual disability. The program will be delivered three times per week under the supervision of a qualified physical education specialist and an assistant instructor. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes and will follow a standardized structure consisting of a 5-minute warm-up, 40 minutes of skill-based pickleball training, and a 5-minute cool-down period. The training content will include progressive instruction and practice of fundamental and advanced pickleball skills, including serving, forehand and backhand strokes, volley, dink, lob, smash, drop shot, and basic tactical gameplay. Sessions will be conducted in either an indoor gymnasium or outdoor court depending on weather conditions. The intervention is designed to improve motor proficiency, balance, muscular strength, and cognitive performance in participants with mild intellectual disability.

OTHER

Standard Special Education Curriculum

Participants in the control group will continue their standard special education curriculum without participation in any structured physical activity or pickleball-based training throughout the study period.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

  collaborator OTHER

• Elif Top

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Elif Top, Prof.Dr. · Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Sport Sciences

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

14 Years

Max Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-02-09

Primary Completion

2026-05-05

Completion

2026-06-01

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations