The effect of an intervention programme on the motor development of street children in a shelter

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an intervention programme
on the motor development and neuromotor functioning of street children. Twenty four
children living in a state-supported shelter participated in the study. Seventeen boys
and seven girls between the ages of seven and 14 years were randomly selected and
divided into an experimental (n=13) and a control group (n=11). The gross motor,
fine motor and neuromotor components were tested with the following instruments:
The Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP), the Sensory Input
Screening Instrument and a section of the Quick Neurological Screening Test (QNSTII).
A 10-week motor intervention programme was applied and the effect tested by
means of pre- and post-testing. Statistica for Windows and the SAS System were
utilised for the statistical analysis of the data. The results indicated that the
intervention programme had a positive effect on the motor development. The fine
motor and neuromotor components showed the biggest improvements. Vestibular and
vision function were neuromotor components that increased significantly and might
have contributed to the improvement in fine motor development.

Keywords: Homeless children/street children; Motor development;
Physical growth; Perceptual development; Socio-economic status;
Physical development; Scholastic achievement; Motor intervention programme.

South African Journal for Research in Sport, Physical Education and Recreation Vol. 29 (1) 2007: pp. 159-176