Date of Award

2012

Rights

Access is available to all users

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS) in Physical Education: Exercise Science

Department

Physical Education, Health and Recreation

First Advisor

Garth Babcock

Second Advisor

Roberta Russell

Third Advisor

Margaret O'Connell

Abstract

"The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of game activities on manual dexterity performance iri older adults. Seventeen participants (mean age 84.3 years) from local assisted- and independent-living retirement communities were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. Experimental group participants played selected game activities three days per week for an average of 34.6 minutes per game for a six-week period. Both control and experimental group participants completed the Purdue Pegboard as a pre- and post-test assessment of manual dexterity performance. A 2 X 2 repeated measures mixed ANOVA conducted for each subtest of the Purdue Pegboard revealed no significant differences (p > .05) between experimental and control groups when considering right hand function, both hands function, combined hand function, and assembly function tasks. However, the control group demonstrated significantly greater left hand function at pre- and post-test. It was concluded that a six-week intervention of game activities did not significantly improve manual dexterity performance in assisted- and independent-living older adults."

Comments

Typescript. Vita.

Share

COinS